Advanced Reservations
by Deathangel125
Summary: When Trowa's life seems to be going all wrong, he finds someone that can possibly make everything better.  Trowa x Duo  yaoi
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. If you do, I'll sic my kids on you.

Warnings: Yaoi, lime, adult language, adult situations

Authors Note: If you have previously read this on MediaMiner, you will notice that certain parts are missing. As much as I hated to do it, I had to take a few things out in order to comply with FF.N regulations. Let me know if you like it, hate it, or are just plain indifferent. Please tell me something!

On with the fic!

Raising his head from the sidewalk, Trowa found himself in front of a bar. It was one of the more up-scale bar, from the fancy signage, but what was important to him was the fact that it was somewhere he could get a drink, or possibly a few of them. In recent years, his life had gone to shit, and he needed a way to forget, at least for a short time.

He wasn't sure what he had done to make his life take a turn for the worst, but he was sure that he had done something. After all, at the end of the war, he had been on top of the world. He had had everything a person could want, and had been very content with the way things had been going. Not happy, but content, and that was much more than he had ever expected.

He had gotten a high ranking job with the Preventers, pleased to be able to assist in the peacekeeping process. His assignments had been fulfilling to him, keeping him out of the public eye, yet allowing him to use his various skills. His friends knew when to give him space if he needed it, and were able to tell when he needed company. He had had a wonderful, sweet, and loving partner who seemed to understand almost everything about him. Their relationship had been good, and he had believed that Quatre had felt the same. Until about seven months ago.

Seven months ago, his life had collapsed around him. He had watched it happen, and was still in a state of shock about why it had happened. He wanted to repair the downhill spiral his existence seemed to be swirling in, but he couldn't figure out how to pull back out of the vortex.

Pushing the door open and shuffling to the leather covered bar stool, he thought to himself, At _least I still have my job_. The worst thing about that was that he no longer found the job interesting, having been assigned to bodyguard roles for the last two months, compounding to his growing melancholy. When Commander Une had noticed his deepening depression, she had deemed that he was no longer in the right state of mind to take on the tougher, and more exciting field assignments.

His eyes scanned the polished wood of the bar, registering the presence of the bartender standing behind the counter. Without looking up, he mumbled, "Scotch, straight, leave the bottle."

"Rough day?" a silky voice queried. He finally worked up the energy to raise his head. Green eyes, not emerald like his, but more of a watery jade, met his own curiously. She was an attractive woman; tall and leggy, with long red hair, and a generous smile. If he had been attracted to women, he would have considered hitting on her. Then again, the way his luck was running, he would probably have as much of a chance with her that he would with any male.

"Rough life," he answered to her question.

Her eyes went to his jacket, the Preventers logo standing out prominently. She gave him a guilty look, "Do you mind if we keep your coat back here? I'll put in the boss' office until you get ready to go. Sometimes having a cop around makes people nervous."

He shrugged out of his coat, then removed his shoulder holster and held it and his weapon in his lap, out of sight of the other patrons. He received a large smile at the gesture and handed over his jacket. "Just don't let me forget it, if you don't mind."

"You don't seem like the forgetful type," she gave him a soft laugh.

"Only after a couple of drinks," he returned with a rueful smile. "Isn't that the whole reason to drink, so you can forget?"

She stared at him for a long moment, and then shifted, setting his jacket to the side and fetching a shot glass and a bottle of fifteen year old scotch. She gave him a small smile, pouring the first drink for him, setting down the bottle beside the glass and picking up his coat. When he raised his eyebrow at the label, she let out another small laugh. "Well, if you're gonna drink to forget, might as well do it with style."

He surprised himself by letting out a small but honest chuckle, then looked intently into his glass. The bartender must have understood the gesture, for she quietly walked to the other end of the bar, leaving him alone to contemplate the ruin of his life in silence.

He drank down the first glass of liquid at once, enjoying the burn of liquor going down his throat and warming his belly. It was little things like this that kept him going, made him force himself to get out of bed every morning. The warmth of the alcohol reminded him that he was still alive, that he still had feelings. They were buried deep, and often had a hard time being shown, but his feelings and emotions were still there, lying dormant for something to awaken them.

After his third drink, he heard a laugh. Looking up, he realized that the bartender was back, standing in front of him, watching him closely. She held her hands up, making a placating gesture and he wondered briefly what the expression on his own face was. "I didn't mean to bother you," she stated, voice soft. "I was trying to figure out where I know you from. I've seen you somewhere before, but I can't place it."

He shrugged, not offering any suggestions about where she could have seen him. There had been several photos of the five pilots after the war, and other pictures of him had been taken with Quatre while they were still together, though he had tried to avoid photographers as much as possible. The sight of someone with a camera was still enough to make him shudder.

She didn't ask anything else, probably sensing that he wouldn't give her any answers anyway. She continued to study his features for a long minute, making him nervous under the scrutiny. He was about to say something about it when she suddenly broke into a grin, snapping her fingers. "I got it!" she enthused, before turning and walking to the other bartender on duty, a large man with arms as big as Trowa's waist. After a brief conversation, the big man turned on a heel and passed thru a door that Trowa hadn't paid any attention to.

The woman returned, her eyes glittering. "Do I need to leave?" he asked, hoping he could get up without falling off the chair. It had been a while since he had had more than one drink at a time, and the alcohol was hitting him rather quickly.

"Now why would you need to do a thing like that?"

"You were watching me. I thought you were uncomfortable with me being here."

"You can't leave without letting the boss see you, Trowa." His head jerked at his name and the reached for his sidearm, stopping when she began to laugh. "That's not necessary. You're safe here. Everyone that works here is from the colonies, and we all have a soft spot for former Gundam pilots.

Eyes wide, he cautiously moved his hand away from his gun, reaching for the glass again, still unsure of whether or not to trust the redhead. "My name was never released to the public. How do you know who I am?"

"Did you even look at the name of the place when you came in, or was it pure luck that had you stumbling in here?"

He looked around, really looked, for the first time since coming inside. What he had believed to be a bar was actually a fancy small scale restaurant that had a number of tables scattered across the room, grouped so even if you sat at a table surrounded by people, you could still have the illusion of privacy. Feeling something nudge his fingers, he looked down blearily at the menu the woman was pushing across the bar to him, attempting to focus his eyes.

His arm jerked when he saw the name, nearly causing the half-empty bottle to topple over. The bartender grabbed it, straightening it before a drop could spill to the polished counter. With a smile, she filled his glass. He swallowed it down quickly, and then met her eyes again. "Maxwell's?" he managed to croak out.

"Like I said, you can't leave 'til the boss gets to see you," she held out her hand. "My name is Car, by the way."

"Car?"

She let out a delighted laugh. "It's a long story. Perhaps I'll tell you sometime if you come back."

Uncertain if he was being hit on or not, he felt it was safer to keep his mouth shut. With another smile, she moved away again, and he allowed his mind wander back to a person he had believed it was better for him to forget.

Large violet eyes that, more often than not, shined with an impish light, set inside a heart-shaped face that normally wore a sly grin that sat underneath a pert nose. Broad shoulders that led down to a narrow waist, leading down to lean hips and long legs; and finishing off the package was the rope of long hair that looked like spun silk with shots of sunlight mixed into the weave.

Trowa shook his head, willing the image to fade. Now was not the time to remember the obsession he had suppressed for so long. He had hid his attraction first because of uncertainty, not sure how his attraction would have been met. Later, he had continued to hide how he felt for Quatre's sake, believing it to be unfair to the gentle Arabian for him to bring up his desire for another. In the end, trying to hide how he felt had done more harm than good.

He drew himself out of his thoughts when he felt a presence behind him, turning slowly, his heart racing. He nearly toppled out of his seat when his eyes fell on the American for the first time in over six years. He let his eyes roam, drinking in the man standing in front of him with eagerness that he hoped didn't show on his face.

There were changes. Duo had left the boy he had been behind and had become a man in the passing years. The face was lean; a slight shadow of stubble coating his cheeks and chin, and the braid was longer, falling almost to his knees. The sparkling eyes and mischievous grin were still present, the body still lean and muscular.

That was all that Trowa got to see before he was pulled out of his seat in a fierce hug. There was no hesitation, no awkwardness as the smaller man wrapped his arms around Trowa with a delighted laugh.

Duo pulled back, keeping his hands on Trowa's shoulders, the contact sending shocks through his body. He was glad Duo was still holding him, because the room was spinning around wildly. The only thing remaining still in the room was Duo, and that could have been because he was so focused on the man.

"Trowa Barton," Duo mused out loud, "what the hell are you doing in here trying to down a whole damn bottle of liquor by yourself?"

He stared for a moment, his eyes focusing on those pink lips. Realizing what he was doing, he shook his head, regretting it as he listed to the side, Duo's arms wrapping around him again to keep him from falling. When he was steady, he snorted and reached for the glass sitting on the bar. "Didn't have anything better to do."

Duo's eyebrows shot up to disappear under his choppy bangs. "Wanna talk for a while?" He asked suddenly, gesturing with his hand at a set of nearly hidden steps.

Trowa nodded, then could only watch as Duo pushed the glass and bottle toward the woman that had been standing only a few feet away. The American leaned over the counter and spoke to the blonde, causing her to laugh before she walked away, rolling her eyes dramatically.

Duo led Trowa up the stairs, keeping an arm around his waist, helping to steady him as he staggered up the steps. Once they were seated at a table, the American sent him a cheeky grin. "You should consider yourself lucky. Most people have to reserve a table up here at least three months in advance." Trowa raised an eyebrow in question, looking at all the empty tables. "This area is only open during a certain time of day. When you can do something all the time, it becomes normal, boring," Duo explained carefully. "When you only open it some of the time, it becomes exclusive. Somewhere to go for special occasions, to do something they can't do on a whim. There's even a separate menu for people that eat their dinner up here. You would be amazed how much people would pay for the privilege to eat at the second floor of Maxwell's restaurant."

Trowa had to smile at that comment, "And yet, here I am with no reservation at all."

Duo leaned back in his chair when Car appeared, a tray laden with food resting on her arm, a wine bottle and glasses held in the other hand. She expertly delivered her items and moved away from the table with a wink at her boss, slipping down the stairs without making a sound. Trowa's eyes fastened on the bottle of wine, the green going wide as he recognized the label as a very expensive red wine, one that he had seen in Quatre's wine cellar but had been told to never open. It had chafed at the time, being given orders like a wayward child, but he had shoved the aggravation aside, telling himself that he didn't know one wine from another.

"Duo, I can't drink this," he stated, his voice flat, staring at the wine that cost over two thousand dollars a bottle.

Wide violet eyes studied him with a frown, "And why not?"

"Because it's expensive," he blurted, cursing the fact that he couldn't hold his tongue when he drank. He vaguely hoped Duo wouldn't ask him any deep questions, for he would answer them without taking the time to think of the best answer. Not that he planned to lie, but some truths were not meant to be spoken without the brain being able to censor the mouth.

"You should be used to having expensive things since you live with Quatre," was the retort. Trowa thought he heard a trace of bitterness in the Americans voice, but didn't understand the cause behind it. Before he could form a reply, Duo continued. "Besides, it's a special occasion, right? It's not every day that I get a former Gundam pilot in here, trying to drink himself into a stupor."

Trowa nibbled on the appetizers on the table before him, trying to think of what he should say next. He took a cautious sip of the wine, pleasantly surprised by the smooth taste and the silky feel of it flowing across his tongue. He let the liquid roll in his mouth, savoring the difference between the fruity wine and the burning scotch. "You don't talk to any of the others?"

The braided man didn't answer for a long time, eventually shrugging his shoulders in a dismissive gesture. "I don't have any reason to. I haven't had anything to discuss with anyone since the fighting stopped. Everyone had their own lives to live, and I didn't want to bother anyone."

"You disappeared," Trowa was mortified. He cursed the alcohol in his system, unconsciously taking another sip of his wine in his nervousness. He couldn't stop his mouth from saying the things he had always wondered about. "After everything was over, Relena invited us all to her home. You never came. You just disappeared without saying goodbye to me- to us. Where did you go? Why didn't you say anything about leaving?"

Violet eyes were fixed on him, wide with surprise. "I really didn't think anyone would notice I wasn't there," he whispered softly. "Heero had Relena, Wufei was with Sally, and you…you were with Quatre. There was no reason for me to be there, so I went back to L2 for a while and worked at the scrap yard with Hilde. It didn't take long to figure out I wasn't happy, so I came back to Earth and tried to decide what to do with my life. I opened my first restaurant on New Year's Day a year later."

"Your first restaurant?"

There was a soft smile, "Yeah, my first. Took some of the money we had hacked from Oz and put it to good use. I have eleven now, all over the country."

"And working on two more as we speak, plus another in the works in Europe," Car added as she appeared, sliding a plate in front of each of them. "Need anything else, Boss?" she questioned Duo with another saucy wink.

"No, you minx. Close up as normal, just leave the lights on. I'll turn them off when I leave."

She offered Trowa a jaunty little salute, then danced down the stairs, laughing like crazy all the way. Trowa watched her progress until she was out of sight, "She's… interesting," he noted, not really sure how to describe the vivacious redhead.

"She's a street rat," Duo shrugged, cutting a piece off his steak. When he looked up, he must have seen Trowa's confusion. "She's an orphan that was living on the streets of L2. We knew each other a long time ago, and met up again while I was working with Hilde. When I decided to open the restaurant, I went back to find her and offered her a job, knowing that she would work as hard as me to get the place going. She's been with me ever since," he explained. After a moment, he dropped his head, focusing on his plate, face turning red. "All of my employees are from L2."

"How many is that in total?" Trowa was proud of the way the Duo had continued to help people from his home colony, and wished he could do something to help, but didn't know what. He was also disappointed and slightly jealous, realizing that Duo was involved with the woman.

"Around two-hundred, I guess," Duo related in a small voice, his head nearly in his plate, blushing all the way to the tops of his ears.

Trowa had to fight the urge to drop his fork. He was unable to stop his jaw from dropping. "You have two-hundred employees that you transported here from L2? Who paid for that? What did you do once you got them here? How did you get them here in the first place?"

Violet eyes watched Trowa from behind a fringe of bangs. "I own an apartment building within five blocks of every restaurant that I have. When I bring someone here, they get the first two months of rent free, so they have time to decide if they want to stay here working for me, go back to the colony, or stay on Earth to do something else," he focused on his own food, adding softly, "I have my own shuttle."

"Who pays for their shots and check-ups?" Trowa knew from experience that any colonist coming to Earth for the first time had to go through an extensive check up and get any shots that they had missed. Any citizens from L2 were bound to be missing most, if not all, of their shots, and most were also likely missing citizenship papers. It would be a huge financial burden.

"I take on all responsibilities for the people I bring, for the first two months. All medical bills, housing, some clothes, and some food for the first few days, plus they also get an advance on their first paycheck, so they can get anything that I forgot, which doesn't usually happen, but most people feel better if they have a bit of cash on them."

Trowa listened to Duo, making sure to eat while hearing everything that the other man had done for his fellow colonists. He was hoping the food would temper the alcohol he had imbibed, helping him control his mouth a little better. "How are you still in business if you are giving everything to these people?" Oops, guess the scotch was still flowing in his system, helped along by the wine just a bit.

Duo grinned at him, but whether it was from the question or his inability to control his tongue he didn't know. "Actually, we have a sort of contract," he explained to his eating companion. "It's all verbal, but on L2 that's the only kind of contract anyone will take part in. If the person decides to stay, they pay back everything that I paid for when bringing them here, including the rent, clothes, food, shots, doctor visits, and any paper work that they didn't have. I don't keep up with the exact amount, honestly. I don't have to," he said, seeing Trowa's eyebrow shoot up in shock. "Everybody keeps up with it themselves, and Car and David also keep track of it for me. I've even had times when someone would pay back more than I gave them, saying it's for the transport or some other reason. I argue, but L2-ers can be tricky when they want to do something. I've went home with money stuck in pockets with a note that said thanks when I never actually saw the person that wrote it."

"How many people have left your employ after getting to Earth?"

"There have been six that didn't like working for me, so I helped them find other jobs stateside. I have three of those still living in my apartments in various cities. No one has ever gone back to the colony."

"And how many haven't paid you back at all?" Trowa's natural pessimism was coming out.

Duo met his eyes, a small smile creasing his features. It was an expression that was proud and at the same time sad. "Only one, and that's cause he was killed in a car accident."

Both men were silent for a time, eating their meals. Trowa reflected on the amount of people that Duo had helped give a better life to, and the outstanding fact that they had all repaid the kindness they had been gifted with, even without being forced to. He knew that one thing most of the colonists of L2 had was pride. That pride wouldn't allow them to accept charity, but it would allow them to take a loan for a time, if it made a better life possible for them or their families.

Belatedly, he realized that even with all the shocking information he had just received, and the sudden appearance of the man he had been obsessed with for years, he was more relaxed than he had been in many months. Upon this discovery, he thought back to how he felt now compared to how he had felt in the past, shocking himself when he figured out that he felt more comfortable and relaxed than he had in several years. He didn't know if it was the atmosphere, the food, the alcohol, or the company of the man sitting across from him. It was possible, and likely, that his relaxed state was due to a combination of all factors.

He was just finishing his steamed vegetables when he asked his companion, "Did you think you would be so successful when you began all this?"

"Honestly, I thought I'd fall flat on my face after I managed to bring a few people from L2," Duo told him with a chuckle. "I really don't know what was crazier, me opening a business without knowing what the hell I was doing, or the fact that almost everyone that works for me is a former street punk."

"Almost? I thought all your employees were from L2?"

"My lawyer and accountant are grounders," Duo groaned, using space slang for someone born and raised on earth.

Trowa threw his head back and began laughing, causing Duo to stare at him with an open mouth. "S-s-sorry," Trowa panted, trying to control his mirth, but the look on Duo's face sent him off into fresh peals of laughter. "T-t-the w-way you s-s-said that, s-sounded l-l-like you wan-wanted to sp-space them or s-s-some-something!"

Duo finally grinned in understanding, leaning back and watching Trowa over his glass while he took a long sip of wine. "I guess I can see how that would be amusing. But if you ever meet them, you'll understand. You should do that more often, by the way." When Trowa sent him a questioning look, Duo shrugged. "Laugh like that. You look amazing when you do."

This time it was Trowa's turn to duck his head in embarrassment, and pleasure. A warm sensation spread through his body that he hadn't felt in a very long time. He eventually took up his own glass, taking a small sip of the alcohol, more in control of his actions. He was very aware that losing his inhibitions with this man, at this time, could be a disaster. "Did you ever think you would have the need for an accountant, let alone a lawyer?"

"Nope. Not unless I was being sued for something. I guess you're used to that kind of people, huh? Hanging around with Quatre and all."

Trowa felt his smile fade as he shook his head. "We aren't together anymore, Duo."

The braided man began to choke on the wine he had just drunk. After several minutes of coughing and pounding on his own chest, he blinked at the other man. "What happened? I thought you guys were totally into each other. Everyone said that you two were in love and all that. In all the pics I saw, you guys seemed happy."

"Did we?" Trowa looked into his own glass, then across the room to look out the window, offering a view of the night sky over the tops of other buildings. "I guess Quatre did love me, but I didn't feel the same about him. He always said that it was okay, and for a long time we were happy together. I guess he started to resent that I couldn't love him. A few months ago he asked me to leave. It was hurting us both for me to stay when I couldn't feel the same way about him. He told me that it was time to move on and find someone that would be able to make him truly happy." Trowa let out a disdainful snort, "What I didn't realize at the time was that he had already moved on. He was just waiting for me to get out of the way so he could move forward in his new relationship."

"Who is it?"

"Zechs Merquise, Milliardo Peacecraft, whatever the hell name he's going by now," even he could hear the bitterness in his own voice.

"I never could stand that uppity bastard," Duo opined, a glint in his eyes promising pain for the older man if they ever met again. The American leaned across the table, placing his hand over one of Trowa's in a show of support and comfort. Trowa reveled in the touch, staring at the slender hand, feeling calluses on the fingers that showed a lifetime of hard work. "Why weren't you able to feel the same way toward Quatre? I know you were happy with him for a while. What changed it?"

"I was in love with someone else, and Quatre knew that. I think he was hoping I would change my mind."

"Would you change your mind? Could you really change the way you felt to make someone else happy?" Duo asked softly, almost whispering, his fingers absently brushing the back of Trowa's hand before moving away.

The banged man stared at his own hand, already missing the slight contact. "No," he replied, almost as quietly. "I couldn't change how I felt. I wouldn't want to."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. If you do, I'll sic my kids on you.

Warnings: Yaoi, lime, adult language, adult situations

Authors Note: If you have previously read this on MediaMiner, you will notice that certain parts are missing. As much as I hated to do it, I had to take a few things out in order to comply with FF.N regulations. Let me know if you like it, hate it, or are just plain indifferent. Please tell me something!

On with the fic!

They finished their wine slowly, talking of small things, Duo relating some of his more amusing exploits in trying to find people willing to work, and plans to start bringing people from other colonies to Earth, hoping they would work out well in his restaurants in Europe. They took their dishes back downstairs; Trowa was surprised to find the entire building devoid of any other people, vaguely recalling that Duo had told Car to close the place like normal. He had no idea what time it was, or how long it had been since he passed through the door.

Without discussing it, they both sat at the bar for a bit longer after placing the dishes in the washer to be cleaned the next day. Duo suddenly slapped himself on the forehead, "Man, you must be exhausted. I didn't think about you still being in uniform. You come straight from work, or what?"

Trowa had to laugh at the way Duo always managed to put things so bluntly. "I was actually called here for an assignment. After arriving at the airport, I left my bags at the Preventers headquarters before going for a walk, which led me here"

"You don't live here?"

"In the states, yes. In Los Angeles, no. I am here on temporary assignment before going back to DC."

"Damn! I'm so sorry, man. I didn't think about you having to go to work early or anything, I was just so jazzed to spy you," a faint blush worked its way up Duo's face for no reason that Trowa could ascertain, words spilling out quickly. "I norm'ly snooze late, and you've prolly been working a mint lately, and-"

Trowa held up a hand, stalling any more babbling comments. He couldn't understand half of what Duo had just said. "I always take a few days downtime in a new area before a job. I don't have to report for duty until Monday. Did you know that when you get excited or nervous you speak more slang than usual, and very fast?"

Duo turned bright red again, the blush firing back up the tips of his ears. "Most people have a hard time understanding what I say most of the time anyways and I have to try hard to speak correctly. Street slang is still easier for me, especially after getting back from L2." He narrowed his eyes at Trowa, "You got a hotel or something to stay in?"

Groaning, Trowa let his head fall forward slightly, recalling that his bags were in the Preventers office, which was most likely locked up for the night, considering that the sky outside was very dark. "I never bothered to make any arrangements before I went for my walk. I assumed I would have plenty of time to do so when I left." The urge to drink himself into a coma had overtaken him before he had really decided much of anything.

Duo snickered, "I'm guessin' that's a no."

"I was going to," he protested weakly. "I just had to get away for a while. I dropped off my stuff at the office, then went-"

"Well, um, I have an extra room if you wanna crash at my place for a few days. I think I might even have some clothes for you to wear until you can get your stuff," the American mumbled, not meeting his eyes.

Recalling the dynamics between Duo and the female bartender, Trowa didn't know what to say. It would be a lie to say that he didn't want to spend more time with Duo, but at the same time- "Wouldn't Car have an objection to that?"

"Why would she care?" The American frowned at him, obviously confused.

"I assumed you were involved," he admitted, embarrassed.

"She's not my type," Duo chuckled. "I don't go for redheads, or females for that matter," Trowa's eyes grew wide at the revelation. "C'mon. I'll take you my place and you can get some rest."

Trowa's brain had shut down upon learning that Duo was gay. He felt like an idiot when his heart flipped in his chest, the hope that he would possibly have a chance with the braided man blossoming quickly before he could stop it. He was still sitting at the bar when his jacket, holster and gun were stuck in front of his face. He took the weapon, looking at Duo in bewilderment. He knew that he had been holding it in his lap, even though he had promptly forgotten about it when he had seen the American.

Duo put his hand behind his head in a nervous gesture, looking chagrined. "I kinda filched it earlier. Didn't think a drunk Preventer that was a former terrorist and mercenary with a gun would be good for business. I had Car lock it up in my office with your coat."

He said nothing, just shook his head at the other man's ability to steal almost anything. It had always been a talent that came in handy at the strangest times, usually when they needed hard-to acquire parts for their Gundams. Duo would leave with nothing but a smile, and come back with a bag full of hardware.

He watched as the restaurant owner efficiently turned off the lights, locking up the building and moving to the street, with Trowa falling in step beside him. They walked in silence for a few blocks when a question entered Trowa's mind. He had no intention of voicing it, but apparently there was still alcohol sloshing around in his system. "Why didn't the fighting ever bother you? I never really saw you be affected by it the way the rest of us were. You seemed to be able to just brush it off when the battle was over."

He received a small frown and a heavy sigh. "It bothered me a lot more than any of you knew. I always waited until I was alone to deal with it, after everyone else felt better. I put on the mask of the fool for you guys, then I would take time for myself."

"Why didn't you say anything, Duo? We could have done something," Trowa felt guilt for letting the other man take on all of their grief all those years ago.

"There was nothing you could do for me, Tro. What was needed from me was jokes and laughter, not the reminder of the deaths we had to cause," he gave Trowa a pained smile. "What I needed…" Duo shook his head suddenly, "It's okay, though. I was used to having to deal with stuff on my own."

Trowa wondered what the braided man was really going to say before changing his mind. "You didn't have to be alone," he wanted to kick himself for not being able to keep his mouth shut.

Duo gave him an oddly contemplative look but said nothing, gesturing toward a building. They walked inside, Duo speaking briefly with the security guard that stood watch in the lobby. Trowa remained silent as the other man led him to the elevator and pushed a button, his eyes taking in the surroundings. He started to get nervous when a violet gaze focused on him intently. Silence reigned as the elevator traveled and stopped, Trowa not trusting himself to speak. Duo led him inside an apartment at the end of the hall, snickering when he saw the look on Trowa's face.

It was a huge space, comfortably but not lavishly furnished. It was easy to imagine taking a nap on the large couch, or propping his feet on the small table in front of it to watch TV or read a book, of which there were several on the bookshelf against one wall. What had captured his attention, however, was the floor to ceiling window that took up an entire wall. Without realizing it, he found himself in front of the glass, looking out across the city. "My God," he breathed in reverence. "It's amazing."

"Thanks," Duo said from beside him. "I had to fight for this view when the place was being built."

"This is your building?" Trowa asked quietly, still taking in the view.

"Yeah," there was a sense of pride in Duo's voice. "These are the apartments that my potential employees get to stay in first. There are eight apartments on all floors, except the top two. The one below us only has four apartments. This floor has my apartment, and a spare I keep for personal use if I need it. Fourteen floors, so the grand total of apartments is one hundred and two. Eighty-seven of which are currently occupied."

Trowa steered clear of the other apartment that was Duo's personal use. He didn't want to know who was staying there from time to time. "Why does the floor below us have four apartments?"

"Families," was the quick answer.

Trowa felt his heart swell with pride. Just knowing that Duo would think of something that most people wouldn't consider made him feel blessed just to know the other man. He reached out to touch Duo's shoulder lightly. "You've done a wonderful thing for all of those people."

The American looked pleased by the compliment and the honesty he could hear behind it. Trowa inhaled sharply when Duo tilted his head to rub his cheek on the hand that was resting on his shoulder. Violet eyes widened, as if realizing what he had just done. Duo offered another smile, along with a blush. "You must be exhausted. Let me show you where you're gonna sleep for the night, and then you can take a shower if you want."

Trowa was led to a door off to one side of the kitchen. The main apartment area was open, four doors visible other than the one they had entered, the kitchen and living areas taking up all the available seen space. The bedroom was nice once revealed, again the furniture comfortable instead of lavish. He was shown the bathroom before Duo turned away, promising to bring him some clothes.

He didn't consider waiting to get in the shower, the desire to wash of the grime of travel hitting him suddenly. He had just stepped under the warm spray when he felt the cool air breeze in, telling him the bathroom door had been opened. He dared a glance out the clear glass door of the shower and found Duo staring at him, breathing hard, his arms full of clothes and towels. His body tightened in response to the hunger he could see in the violet eyes. "Duo?"

"Oh Jesus," was breathed in a low moan. Duo turned away from him quickly, dropping the items onto the counter beside the sink. "I brought you some clothes," he said after a moment, voice shaky. Trowa watched avidly as the American glanced back at him once more before fleeing the room. He wasn't sure what he should do, pleased that he had managed to hide his growing erection from the other man. He briefly entertained the notion of what could have occurred if he had invited Duo to join him in the shower.

After spending several minutes in the shower, many of them immersed in the fantasy of the other man underneath the spray with him, he finally emerged, body calm again. He put on the clothes Duo had left him, surmising they were not Duo's for they fit his body very well. He then took a good look at himself in the mirror. The man staring back at him shocked him, the tired and worn out eyes looking back at him reminding him that it had been far too long since he had taken a vacation. He was working himself to death trying to forget all of his problems. It hadn't been having any affect. One evening spent in Duo's company had done more for him than long months of working himself into the ground.

Concentrating for a moment, he compared the man facing him to the person he had been during the wars, or even the man he had been before things had started to go badly with Quatre. Before, his skin had always held a tan, from spending many hours outside, whether it had been for work or play. Now, his skin was ashen, veins strikingly visible through it. His eyes were no longer clear and attentive, but seemed to be a clouded over with a gauzy film. Even his hair seemed to have less life, hanging limply over his eye, partially obscuring half of his face. All in all, he felt that he was a shadow of the person he had once been.

Duo, on the other hand, seemed to be more vibrant and full of life than he had been. The American had always been the very definition of what it was to be alive. Everything about him had always been to the extreme, his personality, his priest clothing, his outrageous braid, the large purple eyes, and the cheerful grin combining with the abilities of a pilot to create a contrast that was striking. At first sight, he had been the worst choice for a Gundam pilot with his quirks, but when they had gone into battle another personality appeared, the smiling God of Death that killed with a smile and laughter that could chill you to the bone. This contrast was one of the things that had caused Trowa to pay more attention to the other pilot, his fixation only growing more powerful over time until he was pining and he heart clenching every time his eyes fell on the fascinating combination of beauty, toughness, and cheer. Not sure of how to cope with his growing attraction, he resorted to callousness and brusqueness with the other teen.

Ruefully, he looked in the mirror again, swearing silently that he would not treat the other man the way he once had, and promising that he would share his feelings before his assignment was over and he had to leave the city. A wave of despair threatened to envelope him at the thought of leaving Duo so soon, but he knew there was no chance of his job allowing him to stay in the area. His services as a bodyguard were too valuable to the Preventers for them to allow him to remain in one place for long. He was often requested for the service, much to his dismay.

Exiting the bathroom, his breath caught as he spied Duo in front of the large window, his body silhouetted by the lights beyond the glass. The American was wearing a pair of silk shorts and a thin tank top, leaving most of his body bare for Trowa's eyes to linger on. Duo lifted one arm over his head, bracing it on the window and leaning forward, the ripple of muscle he could see causing Trowa's mouth to go dry.

After a long moment of drinking in the sight of that body, Trowa moved to stand beside his host, thinking that he was happy he had taken care of his mutinous libido, hoping that he wouldn't be able to get aroused again so quickly. "It really is a beautiful view," he said softly, his eyes never leaving the man by his side.

Duo said nothing, but a small smile curved his lips. They stood that way for a long time, Duo looking out the window, and Trowa looking at Duo, memorizing every feature of the fey creature before him.

"I'm gonna turn in, Tro. It's late," Duo spoke softly, his voice barely reaching the other man's ears. "I'll see you in the morning."

Trowa waited until the braided man had already entered his room before speaking quietly, knowing his words would be heard. "In the bathroom earlier, you should have stayed. I would have welcomed your company."

He was rewarded by the soft gasp before the door closed behind Duo. He went to his own room with a smile of his own.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. If you do, I'll sic my kids on you.

Warnings: Yaoi, lime, adult language, adult situations

Authors Note: If you have previously read this on MediaMiner, you will notice that certain parts are missing. As much as I hated to do it, I had to take a few things out in order to comply with FF.N regulations. Let me know if you like it, hate it, or are just plain indifferent. Please tell me something!

On with the fic!

"Wake up! I can't believe you overslept today of all days! Duo, where the hell are you?"

Trowa woke up at the sound of the slamming door, groaning at the subsequent yelling, regretfully leaving the erotic dream he had been having behind. He couldn't recall the details clearly, but he knew that it involved him, and Duo, and that was enough.

Shoving the lingering images out of his mind, he turned his attention to the clamor he could hear outside his door. It wasn't long before he could hear Duo giving a groan of his own as he came out of his room. "Damnit, Car. Shut the fuck up or you'll wake up Trowa," he hissed at the woman.

"So where is he, boss? Did you manage to talk him into bed with you? I know you wanted to."

Trowa's head shot up, remembering the dream he had had that night. It had felt so real, and amazing, and magical. His blood began to heat as he recalled his dream and he forcefully, but with regret, pushed it from his mind so he could hear the conversation in the room beyond his door.

"He's in the guest room. Mind you own, kid," Duo sounded tired.

"Boss, you need to tell him," Car spoke softly, making Trowa strain to hear, feeling slightly guilty for eavesdropping, but not enough to stop. "He should know."

"He told me last night he's in love with somebody, all right? Please let it go, Car, please," he had never heard Duo sound so dejected.

"Duo-"

"Why are you here, Car?"

There was a moment of silence and Trowa could imagine Car fighting with herself. Her voice was all business when she spoke again. "You have a meeting with the Felders people in a half hour."

"Jumpin' Jesus on a pogo stick! I can't believe I forgot."

There was the sound of footsteps running, followed by a door opening and closing. Trowa listened for a moment, smiling as he visualized Duo running around in an effort to get ready in a hurry. He had a feeling that Car wouldn't be able to keep quiet for long, so he remained by the door, listening carefully. He was proved right seconds later.

"Duo, you forgot, its okay. I can call and tell them you'll be a few minutes late because you had a morning meeting that went over," she said, ignoring the constant stream of curses coming from her boss. "You have every right to be late one day when the cause is the fact that you got to see a friend you haven't seen in years."

"Car…" Duo's voice had a warning note in it.

Not surprisingly, she ignored the tone, continuing what she wanted to say. "Especially if it's the man you've been in love with for years."

Sudden silence filled the apartment, broken by a sound that was part moan, part sob. The sound was quickly aborted, but not before Trowa's heart took a journey into his throat, ears straining to hear what happened next, his own breath seeming unnaturally loud to him.

"Car, you have no idea how much it hurts to know that I can never have him the way I want to," the American sounded so sad, it caused Trowa pain. "It's so good to see him, but it hurts so much at the same time."

"I know, baby," her voice was sad, telling Trowa that she had experienced heartbreak of her own in the past.

Trowa wanted to go tell Duo how he felt, but he couldn't get his legs to cooperate, the shock of discovering how the American really felt forcing him into immobility, his mind whirling. He sat there, his thoughts scattering in all directions, trying to understand why Duo was so upset when Trowa had told him plainly that he would have been welcome to share the shower with him the previous evening.

When understanding finally hit him, his eyes went wide. He had told Duo he was in love with someone other than Quatre, and had been for a long time. Duo had apparently never considered himself as a candidate for Trowa's affections.

He almost rushed out of his room, stopping with a swiftness that caused him to stagger. What could he possibly offer Duo? He had a few days before his bodyguard duty had to be addressed, but what happened after that? He would have to return to his own home, in another state, across the country.

At that thought his mind paused, turning over the situation. Was DC really his home? He had lived there for the last seven months, but it really didn't feel like home. It was just where he stayed between assignments. There was really nothing there that he couldn't live without. No close friends, no family, no belongings that meant a great deal to him.

This apartment felt more like home than the one he lived in, and he could see himself coming back after a hard day of work. He could see himself taking Duo into his arms at the end of the day, all problems disappearing in the refuge of the other man's embrace. He could see himself in the restaurant, waiting for Duo to be done while passing the time talking to Car. Thinking about it, he could even see himself working beside Duo after leaving his own job for the day, five or even ten years down the road.

He didn't know how long he sat there, envisioning his life as it could be, but he finally shook his head, clearing the possibilities of what could be in the future. First, he had to deal with the present. He threw open his door, rushing into the main part of the apartment, intent on telling Duo everything. The sound of total silence stopped him in his tracks.

Apparently, while he had been lost in his thoughts, Duo and Car had left the apartment. With a sound of frustration, he took a few minutes to look around in Duo's home, smiling a little when he saw the note on the kitchen counter, a key lying beside it. His smile widened as he read what had been wrote for him.

Trowa,

Didn't want to wake you before I left, we were up late and I wanted you to get some rest. I'll be back this afternoon, once I get some meetings taken care of, probably around 3 or so. If you want to stay here until you have to report for work, I would be glad to have you here. I left a key for you just in case you need to leave and wanted to come back. If you decide not to stay here, stop by the restaurant when your assignment is over. I would like to see you again before you leave.

Yours,

Duo

Trowa picked up the key, holding the small object in the palm of his hand, his eyes wistful. Decisively, he turned back to his own room to get dressed in his wrinkled uniform. He had some things to take care of before Duo got back. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. If you do, I'll sic my kids on you.

Warnings: Yaoi, lime, adult language, adult situations

Authors Note: If you have previously read this on MediaMiner, you will notice that certain parts are missing. As much as I hated to do it, I had to take a few things out in order to comply with FF.N regulations. Let me know if you like it, hate it, or are just plain indifferent. Please tell me something!

On with the fic!

With the key nestled safely in the wrinkled pants of his uniform, Trowa stepped out of Duo's apartment into the hallway. Hearing another door shut, he looked to the other door on the opposite side of the long hallway. He started for the elevator, his eyes taking in every inch of the man coming toward him from the other side.

Jet black hair fell in soft waves over a chiseled face, eyes the color of the sky meeting his in challenge. The man was perfectly formed, tall and muscular. The faded jeans he wore molded to long legs, the white dress shirt clinging to his upper body. Trowa could see the tanned skin peeking out from where the shirt had been left unbuttoned. The man had one large hand folded around the handle of a leather briefcase.

In the back of his mind, he could hear Duo talking about keeping the apartment for his own personal use. He felt a surge of jealousy at the thought of this man touching his Duo.

His Duo?

Shaking off the sudden and irrational thought, Trowa pushed the call button for the elevator, waiting silently. When it arrived, both men entered and began the ride to the ground floor. Trowa had already decided not to speak, mildly scared of what would come out of his mouth. His mind was screaming at this man to stay away from what was his, but he couldn't say that. Duo wasn't his…yet.

The man, on the other hand, seemed to have no problems speaking what was on his mind. "Should I ask who you are, or was it just for one night?"

"It wasn't just one night," he sneered, hands fisting at his sides. "I didn't sleep with Duo."

"That makes you a fool, then," was the sarcastic retort. "I wouldn't have wasted the opportunity if I had a chance."

Trowa's eyes narrowed for a second, until his mind sorted out what had just been said. He rubbed his face; exasperated at his own reaction to a man he didn't know. With a long sigh, he held out his hand as the elevator came to a stop. "My name is Trowa. Sorry about being a jerk, I have a lot on my mind right now."

With a grin, the other man took his hand, shaking it as they left the car. The lobby was empty except the security guard, so they stopped and turned to face each other. "My fault," the other man said with a chuckle. "I have a tendency to be a bit…overprotective of Duo. Not that he can't take care of himself, mind you. My name is Alexi. Alexi Popov."

Trowa took a closer look at the man and had to admit, at least to himself, that he was gorgeous. He could hear the slight Russian accent now that he wasn't focused on his anger. He gave a small smile of his own, "I'm Trowa Barton."

Blue eyes grew wide after hearing his full name, Alexi laughing a bit. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Trowa. I've heard a lot about you," he snickered when he saw Trowa frown in confusion. "Duo has spoken of you before. Many times. What brings you to our fine city?"

"I work for the Preventers," Trowa surprised himself by answering the question. He was not one to speak, especially to someone he barely knew, but there was something about this man that made him want to talk.

"I gathered that much by the uniform, though you do look a bit…er…bedraggled." When Trowa blushed, Alexi let out a delighted laugh, clapping him on the shoulder as if they were old friends, not just people that had met fifteen minutes ago under hostile conditions. "Do you have to be anywhere soon?"

"Not really," Trowa shrugged a little, needing to go to the office to get his clothes, but not ready to leave the other mans company quite yet. He was very curious about what relationship this man had with Duo.

"I was going to get some late breakfast. Would you care to join me?" Alexi's eyes were twinkling with humor. "I could tell you some things Duo has been doing the last few years," he added knowingly.

Trowa blushed yet again; feeling rather like a regular teenager must, attempting to learn about his crush. He agreed, and the two were off to a nearby restaurant, the conversation on inconsequential things like the weather. Alexi was a cheerful person, his personality exuberant, smiling at everyone that passed. It was difficult not to compare him to Duo, the boisterous laughter and huge grin a constant reminder of the cheerful American.

Once they had settled and given their orders to the waiter, Alexi sat back in his chair, a small smile playing about his lips. "So how did you happen to find Duo?" Trowa started at the strange question, the other man's smile turning into a smirk. "I know who you are, and how you first met, so don't worry about it. I have no issues with that. I was just wondering how you ended up coming out of his apartment after obviously spending the night there."

"I actually wandered into his restaurant last night, and one of his bartenders recognized me. Duo and I stayed there late, talking. When he realized I didn't have a hotel room for the night, he invited me to stay," he replied, again shocked to find himself answering.

Those eyes fixed on him, serious, the smile disappearing for a moment before being replaced by a wistful look. Trowa waited for a response or explanation of some sort. "It's strange that Duo didn't just offer the other apartment to you," Alexi commented. "He doesn't normally allow people to stay in his home."

"You were in the other apartment," Trowa clamped down the bitterness that wanted to spill out when he said that.

Alexi looked at him in surprise, "No, I wasn't. I arrived this morning. After a flight I go to the apartment so I can get my things settled and calm down. I hate flying, it scares me to death. Duo knows about this phobia. He lets me use the space to gather myself before I have to work. After my meetings are over, I will go to visit my sister and her family outside the city. They live in Sacramento, where she manages one of Duo's businesses for him."

Surprised at the amount of information the other man was willing to share, Trowa listened carefully, storing any pertinent information. He sat back in his own seat as their food arrived, taking a few bites to sort through his thoughts. Several minutes later, he glanced at his companion, "Another restaurant?"

"Hmmm? Oh, no, not a restaurant. It is a bakery." Alexi burst out laughing when he saw the stunned look on Trowa's face. "You never expected that, did you?"

"A bakery?"

"Ever heard of `Death's Delight'?"

Trowa could only stare at the man. Death's Delight had some of the finest baked goods in the United States. There was a bakery in almost every large city that he knew of. He had eaten in many of them, relishing the sweet treats like it was a secret sin. He could even remember when the bakery had launched the opening of the store in a city he had been in, but unable to attend the grand opening because of his job. Several key members of the city had been there for the event. "I was in Seattle on opening day a few months ago. I wasn't able to go because of work," his voice was shaky, uncertain. What else was he going to discover about Duo?

Could he really hope to offer anything to Duo? Was his dream doomed to remain just that, a fantasy? Did he even have a chance?

"I think you do," he met calm blue eyes, realizing that he must have said at least part of that out loud. Alexi lifted an elegant eyebrow at him, then sighed in resignation. Pushing his empty plate to the side, he crossed his arms over the table, leaning forward a bit. "Duo is a very successful man who is also very lucky when it comes to business. He has never had an idea that didn't take off from the get-go. I'll be honest with you. He has enough money to be set for life, could have the best money could buy, but he's just not made that way. He keeps enough money to live comfortably on, but that's about it."

"What does he do with the rest of his money?" Trowa was still finding it hard to believe that Duo was very wealthy, the image not wanting to gel in his mind, at odds with the carefree man Duo still seemed to be. Even knowing about the restaurants hadn't altered his opinion, but to learn that he had other businesses that were very successful was an intimidating revelation. Trowa knew that money could change people, and sometimes the changes were not good at all.

"Uses a lot of it to fund trips to the colonies when he goes to find new employees, sometimes he pays for his employees to go back to the colony to see their families, and there are a lot of donations to charities. I don't think he really knows what to do with it, and more money comes in all the time. In the last three years, Duo has been responsible for renovating four orphanages, and building two others, all on the colonies. Right now, a church and orphanage are being funded by the Maxwell Foundation here on Earth."

Trowa had to smile at that. Duo had never been comfortable with the wealth that had surrounded him when at one of Quatre's homes during the war. He had once overheard the American state that his gang could have eaten for a week on what had been paid for a silver serving tray. "It seems that Duo hasn't really changed all that much in the last few years. Money never meant much to him."

Alexi gave a laugh and nodded. He took the bill that the waiter had placed on the table, holding up his hand to stall Trowa's arguments. After paying the tab, they left the restaurant, walking up the sidewalk. It was several minutes before the Russian began to speak again. "The money means a lot to Duo. The more he makes, the more he can do for the people that don't have the means to do for themselves. He doesn't make a big deal of it, but he takes several trips a year to the colonies. It used to be just the L2 cluster, but recently he has started to travel to L3 and L1. He spends several weeks at a time there, in some of the worst places you could imagine, watching people to see who might have the inclination to work for him."

Trowa could see some of the areas of L3 in his mind, the mercenary camps he had lived in as a child popping in his head. He could see the children, clothes torn and dirty, ribs and hipbones poking out of the skin because they had been underfed. It hadn't been the parent's fault, there just had never been enough food or money to eat or live better. "So he doesn't just pick people at random?"

"There is actually a very meticulous screening process everyone has to go through. If they are not willing to work for what they want, there is no point in trying to provide a better life for them." Alexi fell silent for several minutes, coming to a stop in front of a building that was very familiar. Trowa was surprised that they were standing in front of the Preventers building. Sad blue eyes met his, and he could see the worry Alexi carried for Duo. "What Duo does is very dangerous, and he goes alone, ignoring our warnings. We worry about him when he is gone, Trowa. He takes risks to give people a better life, but what would happen to them if he was hurt or killed on one of these self-imposed missions?"

"And what would you suggest I do?"

"He cares about you a great deal," Alexi's voice was slightly envious. "If you could talk to him, he might listen to you. He won't listen to me, Car, or David, no matter how much we try to caution him. Or could you do something through your job? He is a wealthy man going into a dangerous area, could you arrange for him to have a bodyguard?"

An idea began to form in Trowa's mind, one that had a great deal of potential. He would need to speak with Duo, but it would be a way to spend more time together. Giving Alexi a smile, he shook his head, "I have an idea, but I need to talk to Duo before making any other plans. I need to hurry if I want to get back before he does."

"How long do you need?" The Russian sent him a wink. "I'm his accountant," he confided. "We have a meeting today. I can keep him busy as long as you need afterward."

Sensing he had a willing accomplice, Trowa grinned, then shared some of his plans. By the time he was done, Alexi was wearing a grin of his own, an evil glint in his eyes. "I can keep him at the meeting for two hours at the most, but after that I will take him to a late lunch. Duo never turns down food. I should be able to keep him busy until about five or so, if I can talk Car into helping me drag him shopping."

"That would be perfect, giving me enough time. Does he have to work tonight?"

"He never has to work, he just does. I'll make sure Car knows he has the night off," the two men shook hands, a silent agreement, much like the contracts that Duo had with his employees. Before leaving, Alexi gave Trowa a long look, eyes intent and probing. "I wish you luck. He is content with his life, but not truly happy. You could be very good for him, but if you hurt him, I will come after you, my friend."

Knowing the message was more of a promise than a threat, Trowa nodded solemnly. "I will do what I can to make him happy, if he will let me."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. If you do, I'll sic my kids on you.

Warnings: Yaoi, lime, adult language, adult situations

Authors Note: If you have previously read this on MediaMiner, you will notice that certain parts are missing. As much as I hated to do it, I had to take a few things out in order to comply with FF.N regulations. Let me know if you like it, hate it, or are just plain indifferent. Please tell me something!

On with the fic!

After parting with Alexi, Trowa hurried in the Preventers building to get his bag. He was stopped by the commander of this branch, who gave him the file on his next assignment.

He flipped through the file with a small roll of his eyes. Bodyguard assignments were easy in theory, but in reality, they were a logistical nightmare. It wasn't the danger that made him hate the jobs he was given, it was the people he usually had to protect. Spoiled teenagers and trophy wives that had no common sense. They normally did something stupid and put themselves in danger from it.

He had made an agreement with the Preventers a long time ago about this very situation. As long as the client did what they were told, taking the necessary precautions and listening to his instructions, he took all responsibility for anything that occurred in the duration of his duties. On the other hand, if the client ignored his directives and put themselves in a bad situation, he would not be held liable. All potential clients had to sign a contract stating that they agreed with this, so he wouldn't be held accountable if the worst should occur through no fault of his own.

Borrowing a computer, Trowa did a quick search on Duo, not surprised that there wasn't that much information linking him to the many businesses the man actually owned. Instead, all businesses were listed as being owned by a smaller company that was linked with the Maxwell Foundation. His curiosity peaked, he did a run on the Maxwell Foundation, green eyes going comically wide at the information he found. Duo was listed as the president and founder of the foundation.

The Maxwell Foundation had been responsible for the renovation of eight churches, four low-income clinics, five orphanages, and two low-income apartment buildings. Add all of this to the number of buildings that had been built with the funding from the foundation and the scholarships offered each year, and the amount of money that Duo was giving out was astounding. After doing the calculations, Trowa figured out that if Duo had wanted, he could have bought out the entire company that Quatre and his family owned, which was sizable.

This thought brought his mind back to his former lover, realizing with a shock that after seeing Duo again, thinking of Quatre didn't bring the pang of guilt and loneliness that it had before. He pushed that aside, to be mulled over later, and focused on the current issue. Quatre's family had made a number of sizeable donations to specific charities each year, picked very carefully to make the company look good. They took a tax break for the donations, helping themselves even as they supported their chosen charity.

Sitting in front of the computer, eyes on the screen with a listing of charities and organizations that Duo was involved with, Trowa took several minutes to turn over this new discovery in his brain. He was wary about getting involved with someone that had money again, not sure how to handle the complications it brought. He smiled ruefully, understanding that it was already too late to worry about becoming involved with Duo. He was already too far gone on the other man to leave. He knew that he would be making several trips a year to see Duo, wherever the other man may be at the time, even if it was as nothing more than friends. Now that he had seen the American after so many years, he was even more fascinated by him and the urge to remain nearby was strong.

Duo's money had nothing to do with it, he realized abruptly, had no bearing on the situation whatsoever. Trowa was enthralled by the man himself, the cheerful, caring, and giving man that had found him more than half drunk on a barstool and had treated him to an evening that had been more pleasurable than any he could recall in recent years. The man that had been stored in his thoughts for years, the memory never dimming, the man who had come to his mind when he was feeling down and needed something to cheer him.

Clearing the computer's memory of his search - an old habit from the war he had never been able to forget - he gathered his things and left the building in a hurry. On the way back to Duo's apartment, he made several stops, getting everything he thought he would need. Laden with bags, he approached Duo's apartment door. Setting some of his things down carefully, he dug in his pocket for the key he had been gifted with earlier.

A small smile curved his lips when the key slid into the lock, the feeling of homecoming washing over him in a wave. Grabbing his bags, he entered the large space, laughing at himself for his musings. He hadn't lost himself in fantasies for a very long time, and found it mildly humorous that he was doing it so often now.

Moving around quickly in the kitchen, he put most of the things on the counter, searching in the cabinets for the other items he required. It took him longer than expected, but he eventually had dinner started, the tantalizing aromas filling the apartment. He set the table quickly, using more of the items he had purchased, stepping back to check the overall scene.

Pleased with the result, he glanced at his watch, cursing when he saw it was later than he had assumed. Snatching the last two bags from the table, he ran into his temporary room, then into the bathroom, stripping his uniform quickly. A brief image of Duo standing in front of the shower the night before flashed in his mind, causing him to shiver in anticipation. He hoped everything went as he planned.

Hearing voices in the hallway, Trowa moved to stand at the large window, wanting to see Duo's reaction when he came in. Identifying the main voice as Car's, he shook his head, wondering if she had raised her voice in order to warn him, or if she just spoke that way when she got excited about something.

Duo was looking back at her over his shoulder when he opened the door, continuing the conversation they had been having in the hallway. "Like I said, I should be leaving in about two weeks, but nothing is definite yet. I might go sooner, or I might go later, it really depends on…" violet eyes went wide in surprise when he turned, the words trailing off in mid sentence.

Trowa had to smile at the stunned looks that Duo, Car, and Alexi all wore. The Russian was the first to recover, sending him a delighted grin and a wink. Alexi grabbed Car's arm, forcibly pulling her out of the apartment before she could protest. "Duo, you have the weekend off!" The man yelled before shutting the door behind them, leaving Duo and Trowa alone.

Duo's eyes scanned the room, taking in the candles and the soft music playing. Trowa felt a shiver travel up his spine when that gaze focused on him, roaming up and down his body, violet eyes shining in appreciation. One of the places that Trowa had stopped had been at an upscale clothing store, buying a pair of dark green slacks, picking out a gray silk top to complement the pants for this occasion. He hadn't bothered with shoes or socks, and knew the clothes he had chosen looked good on him, the lack of footwear only accenting the wardrobe. The way Duo's eyes lingered on Trowa's body conveyed he thought the same.

While Duo was staring at him, Trowa returned the favor. He had never had the opportunity to see the braided man in a suit, but he wore one now. The dark blue of the material brought out the color of Duo's eyes, making them seem an even brighter purple than normal. The suit fit him as if it had been tailored for him, snug in all the right places, molding to the slim hips. The white shirt showing underneath the jacket had been opened slightly, and the black tie had been loosened, giving Trowa a glimpse of smooth alabaster skin. Trowa took in a deep breath, holding it in for a moment to calm his raging libido.

Duo slowly began to walk closer to him, a small smile playing on his lips. He finally stopped when he stood just in front of Trowa, looking up through his bangs at the taller man. Trowa inhaled deeply, enjoying the subtle scent that Duo carried with him- male, musky, with just a hint of cinnamon. "Hello, Duo."

The American's head came up, a bit more, meeting his eyes for the first time since the door had closed behind the others. "I was hoping you would be here when I got back. I would have been home sooner, but-"

Trowa reached forward cautiously, placing his fingers on Duo's lips to still the words. "Your timing is perfect. Alexi knew what I was doing," his eyes were watching the spot where his fingertips lay, rubbing against Duo's mouth lightly, smiling when an eyebrow arched in question. "I asked him to keep you busy for a while."

Duo's hand reached up, his fingers tangling with Trowa's. His tongue darted out, drawing one of those digits into his mouth and sucking lightly. Trowa's breath stuttered out at the sensation. Duo pulled their hands down, still intertwined, using the leverage to pull them together until their bodies were almost touching. Trowa took the next step, leaning down to brush Duo's mouth with his own, enjoying the gasp the long-haired man released.

He stepped back, putting some space between them, smiling at the beautiful man before him. "I made dinner," he stated softly.

Duo's eyes grew even wider, "I was wondering what that smell was. What is it?"

"For an appetizer, we have raw oysters," Trowa was still speaking quietly as he described the meal awaiting them, a softer tone fitting the mood in the air. "Then we have some buttered lobster tail for the main course, and for desert we have a chocolate torte, courtesy of the neighborhood Death's Delights." He said the last with a teasing smile, delighted when Duo's face turned bright red. A random thought popped into Trowa's head, "You're not allergic to seafood or anything, are you?"

Duo's response was a low laugh as he pulled off his tie, followed by the suit jacket sliding down his arms, both items tossed on the back of a nearby chair. "No, I'm not. Sorry I didn't say anything about the bakery, I really don't think about it that much."

Trowa maneuvered him into a chair at the table, crouching down in the floor and removing Duo's shoes and socks, placing them on the floor before letting his hands slide up the slender legs, relishing the play of muscles under the cloth. Duo's head fell back, a low groan falling from his lips as Trowa continued to massage his legs firmly. "Ohhhh, that feels good," Duo moaned.

Grudgingly, Trowa stood, dropping a chaste kiss on Duo's lips. He began to straighten when he found his shirt was being gripped by a strong hand, pulling him back down. He allowed himself to be guided back to Duo's mouth, their lips meeting again, still slow, but much more thorough this time. When Duo gasped, he took advantage of the moment, sliding his tongue to move leisurely against the other man's. Needing air, he pulled away, taking the precaution of stepping out of Duo's reach, removing himself from the temptation the other man was proving to be. "Aren't you hungry?"

"Famished," the braided man replied, voice husky with need. The violet eyes reflected a hunger that had nothing to do with food, and Trowa to contemplated ignoring the meal in favor of sating the need he could see focused on him before making the decision to prolong the evening, making it special in the process.

Circling into the kitchen, he removed the appetizers from the refrigerator, turning the oven on before he moved back to the table, ensuring the lobster tails would be done by the time they finished with the oysters.

He set the plate down on the table, smiling at Duo as he went back for the wine he had bought for this occasion. "It's not the stuff we had last night, but I was assured that this would complement the meal." He poured a glass, then held it up to Duo's lips, letting the other man take a long sip before setting it aside.

Duo smiled, licking his lips to capture any remaining liquid. Looking at the table he frowned when he saw only the oysters surrounded by ice, and a single fork, "Silverware and plates?"

"Not necessary for what I have planned," he took an oyster and, after pulling it away from the shell with the fork, held it to Duo's mouth, smiling when pink lips parted, allowing him to slide the food inside. Right as Duo swallowed, he leaned forward, trailing his tongue quickly up the side of the American's neck.

Duo swallowed, shivering at the same time from the duel sensations. Without speaking, he took the next oyster, repeating the separation of shell and mussel, then fed it to Trowa, covering Trowa's mouth with his own after sliding the delicacy in. Taking their time, they fed each other slowly, occasionally taking sips of the wine from the single glass between them. Once all the oysters were gone, Trowa followed the urge to take Duo's mouth, the kiss deep and probing, both men breathless by the time he pulled away. "We still have the main course."

"If I agree, can we hold the torte until tomorrow?"

"You have something else in mind for dessert?" Trowa teased.

"If you don't, then we might have a problem," Duo replied, his eyes twinkling with merriment and lust.

"I think we may be able to come to an agreement about our choice of desserts," he was enjoying the entendre, pleased to verbally spar with Duo. He retrieved the lobster, hurrying back to his seat beside Duo. He knew they still had a lot of things to discuss, but for tonight, he just wanted to pamper the other man a little, wanted to forget the world outside and take some time for them alone. If he was given the oppurtunity, he wanted to spoil Duo often in the future. He blew on the shellfish, trying to cool it a little. "Still hot," he said to Duo in explanation.

Turning his gaze to Duo, he eyed the visible skin at the American's neck, then the melted butter dripping from the lobster tails, then back to the skin. His mouth began to water, and it had nothing to do with the food. Carefully, he dipped a finger into the butter, making sure it wasn't too hot for what he intended.

With Duo watching him, he moved his moistened fingers to Duo's neck, smearing the warm liquid on Duo's skin. A wicked grin appeared before he leaned forward, attacking the area with his mouth, removing all traces of the butter with his tongue. Duo's head fell back, exposing more of the smooth column to Trowa's hungry lips. He continued his assault, encouraged by the low moans that fell from Duo's mouth, forgetting the pretense of butter, enjoying the pure taste of the other man's skin

.

Trowa heard a low growl then found himself pushed back into his seat, the braided man climbing into his lap and stealing his mouth for a kiss. Trowa let Duo take control for a moment before wrestling it away again. His fingers went to work on the buttons of Duo's shirt, pulling it out of the pants it was tucked into, pushing it off Duo's shoulders and exposing the bare chest.

Trowa let out a long moan and attacked the exposed neck and chest revealed to him, shoving any other thoughts to the back of his mind, intent on taking what he wanted without the barrier of sleep and alcohol clouding his thoughts, the meal he had so meticulously prepared forgotten.

"Trowa, the food," Duo panted, his voice breathy.

"Fuck the food," was his hoarse response.

Trowa's arm began to ache from supporting Duo's upper body, the other man nearly boneless now, lost in the pleasure that he was receiving from Trowa's mouth. In a quick decision, he flexed the muscles in his legs, rising from the chair with Duo still draped over him. The braided man's legs wrapped around his waist, his body coming up so his arms could wind around Trowa's neck, his mouth fastening to the side of Trowa's neck, tongue wild, teeth scraping lightly, making Trowa's knees weak.

The distance to his borrowed room was too great, so Trowa headed for Duo's bedroom as fast as he was able. He was having difficulty concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other since Duo's nimble fingers had managed to work the buttons of his shirt open and was stroking his chest and back while that hot mouth remained at his throat. It seemed to take forever to reach his destination. Once there, he fell on the bed, Duo still wrapped around him, their mouths clashing, hands roaming.

He pulled away only long enough to divest the other man of the rest of his clothing, Duo's hands clenching at his hair when he moved out of reach so he could worship the beautiful body before him, reveling in the scent and taste of it, worrying those erotic rings and eliciting groans from the American.

"Trowa, please," he didn't know what Duo was begging for, and didn't really care. Cool air caressed his skin, and Trowa wondered for a split second when his clothes had vanished.

"Do you have anything…?"

Duo turned a bright red, making his color of his eyes seem even more vivid, "I don't have any actual lube, but I have some massage oil, if that will work."

Frowning, Trowa took in the self-conscious look and moved off of the other man, letting Duo reach into the drawer beside the bed, pulling out a bottle and handing it to Trowa. A notion entered Trowa's head that he almost pushed aside, dismissing it as absurd, but then he found he had to ask, "Duo, have you ever done this before?"

"Ummmm, no, not exactly," Duo was turned away, not meeting his eyes, his face flaming in his mortification. "A few blowjobs here and there is the farthest I've ever gone."

"Why?" Trowa waited, discovering that the answer to this question was more important than he could have ever believed. "Why haven't you ever been with anyone?" The idea that Duo had never been with anyone, that he had never been touched in such intimate ways making him pause in consideration, even while his body thrummed in anticipation of being the first to be with the beautiful man.

When Duo didn't answer, Trowa moved closer, wrapping his arms around the tense body and pulling them together. He stroked the long braid, trying to comfort Duo with small touches and caresses. "We don't have to do this," he whispered, pulling Duo to lie beside him. "We don't have to do this now. We can wait for another time." Curtailing the urges that his body was sending to ravish the lean body, he kissed Duo tenderly, hoping to soothe the anxious man.

Duo sighed heavily, his eyes not meeting Trowa's, yet pressing his body closer at the same time. "I want to, Trowa. I want you. I always have. That's why I never…" Duo flushed again, finally meeting the green gaze. "It never felt…right…with anyone else the way it does with you."

Heart soaring, breath stuttering, and mind taking a happy skip into la-la land when he heard Duo's words, he took Duo's mouth, drinking in the surprised noise the other man made. Keeping their lips sealed, he moved his weight, resting it on Duo's body, feeling the proof of the other man's arousal pressing against his hip. Releasing that enticing mouth, he trailed his tongue down the strong neck, hearing the gasping breath from the man under him. He took a moment to look up, finding Duo's eyes on him with an astonished expression on his features. "Did you think I wouldn't want you after you told me?"

"I-I wasn't sure. I hoped, but I wasn't sure what you would think."

Trowa smiled at beautiful man, not sure how to express how he felt about being the first to touch him, at least this way. Not only was it an incredible turn on, it also made him extremely protective, not wanting anyone else to touch where his hands and mouth had touched, or would touch in the near future. "I want you, but only if you are sure this is what you want, Duo."

The timid and reserved Duo disappeared, only to be replaced by the sultry and seductive one that he had been earlier, hands that were sure of themselves stroking down Trowa's body, "This is what I want," he stated. "Now, Trowa, don't make me wait any longer."

The thought that he was going to be the first to experience Duo in this way had shifted his thinking. Before, though he had wanted Duo, it had been about the mutual satisfaction that sex could bring to both parties; now, he wanted Duo to enjoy every aspect of their lovemaking, more concerned about how good he could make Duo feel. He knew that after this, he would never be able to leave when his assignment was over, the idea of parting from Duo for any time causing an ache to form in his heart.

He didn't let this idea stop him, too far gone in Duo's enjoyment to back away now. It wasn't long before Trowa was lost in the sensations that he and Duo were creating. He had never felt so much while with someone, had never had the sense of being half of a bigger whole. If he had any doubts about the depths of his emotions before, they were now put to rest in light of their lovemaking. He would never experience this feeling with anyone else. Duo was the match to his soul.

He didn't know how much time had passed since they had started - time was unimportant to him now. The moments he spent with Duo was one of the best experiences of his life, but eventually it all had to come to an end. "You're mine, Duo. No one else will ever touch you this way, make you feel this way," he barely understood the words that fell from his mouth, but knew they were true.

Spent, sated, and exhausted, Trowa slumped against Duo letting the slender legs fall from him. He took a moment to regain some strength, then sat up, taking in the vision before him. Duo's eyes were closed, body flushed, sweat soaked hair plastered to his face and torso. The American was still breathing hard, his entire body limp. Trowa smiled at the sight, finally releasing Duo's other hand from his grasp. He brushed the bangs away from the other man's face as Duo's eyes fluttered open. "Are you okay?"

Duo took a deep breath before responding, then, "No. Not okay," he whispered softly. Trowa panicked until he saw the soft smile touch Duo's mouth. "You're too good to be true, Trowa. If I find out this was all a dream, I think I'll die."

Tired violet eyes fluttered closed; Duo's breathe evening out in the patterns of an exhausted sleep. Trowa remained where he was for a long time, watching the other man sleep, not really thinking about anything other than how happy he felt, truly happy for possibly the first time of his life. He eventually rose from the bed, going to the bathroom for a wet towel. Gently, he washed all signs of passion from Duo's stomach and chest, chuckling when he mumbled in his sleep. When they were both clean, he lay beside Duo, pulling the lithe body close, pulling up the discarded blankets to cover their nude forms. He fell into slumber minutes later, the American following him into his dreams.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. If you do, I'll sic my kids on you.

Warnings: Yaoi, lime, adult language, adult situations

Authors Note: If you have previously read this on MediaMiner, you will notice that certain parts are missing. As much as I hated to do it, I had to take a few things out in order to comply with FF.N regulations. Let me know if you like it, hate it, or are just plain indifferent. Please tell me something!

On with the fic!

Trowa woke quickly; Duo's body a comfortable weight lying over his own. Duo's head was pillowed on his arm, a leg thrown over both of his. It was as if the American wanted to make sure he didn't get up and leave in the night.

He carefully slid out of bed, trying not to disturb Duo's slumber. He visited the bathroom quickly, then went to the kitchen, putting up the food they had left untouched earlier. Walking around the apartment, he blew out the candles, turning off the stereo.

Standing in front of the large window, his body bared to any who happened to look up or into the glass, he sorted the myriad thoughts running through his mind. He knew, without a doubt, that having to leave Duo would tear him apart. There had been several times where he had questioned his own sanity for being so obsessed with one person for so long. There hadn't been one specific thing that had made Duo stay in his mind for years, but he had remained there, without fail. Trowa had been able to pull one of the many memories of Duo out when he was feeling down, and the mental image of him would cheer him enough to keep him going. He had forgotten how to do that in the last few months, letting his depression about Quatre and his job overwhelm him.

Now… now he had Duo with him, in the flesh. The reality was so much more fulfilling and surprising than he could have ever believed. Returning to the bedroom, Trowa stood in the doorway, watching the other man sleep. His luck, which had been bad for so long, had taken a turn when he had wandered into a random restaurant looking to drink himself into unconsciousness. Hopefully, his luck would continue to run the way it currently was. If he could count on luck, perhaps Duo would want him to stay, not just for a while, but for a very long time to come.

Duo was beautiful, inside and out. Trowa could scarcely believe that he had been blessed enough to be the first to partake of that beauty in all ways. Even now, he could recall the way Duo's skin had tasted on his tongue, could hear the sensual sounds that had been pulled from the slim throat. Trowa could feel himself harden again at the memory as he moved to the side of the bed.

It seemed ridiculous that he could love someone this completely after being with them for such a short time, but that was undoubtedly what had happened. He would take what he could get from the braided man, even friendship would be acceptable if it would keep him by Duo's side.

This was what Quatre hadn't been able to understand, this all-encompassing urge to be with someone, even if he received nothing in return. He would stand aside if that's what Duo wanted, though it might kill him a little each day, as long as Duo was happy he would be content.

Trowa glanced at the clock on the desk across the room, calculating that Duo had been asleep for roughly three hours. It was more than enough time to get some energy back. He watched Duo sleep for a few minutes more, the American's features peaceful in rest in a way that he never was when he was awake. When awake, Duo was so full of life, filled with so much energy it was hard to really imagine what he would look like when totally relaxed, as he was now.

He began by tracing a finger down the length of Duo's chest and toying with the fascinating rings, watching as the American shifted in his sleep to get closer to the source of the touch. Trowa laughed softly, the sound coming from deep in his chest as he repeated the movement with hit tongue, rewarded with a soft moan. Looking up with a smile, he could see the trace of violet eyes under the lids of barely open eyes. "How do you feel?"

Duo's smile was slow forming and pleased, his eyes opening a bit wider as Trowa continued his exploration of Duo's chest. "Like I was well used," was his snickering reply.

"Sore?"

The braided man shifted on the bed, Trowa's eyes going wide when he felt the body slide against him with fluid movements. "A little, but no worse than I would be if I had spent a hard day at the gym or something," Duo grinned at him, the smile more than a bit evil. "Why do you ask?"

Trowa was speechless when Duo slithered on top of him, sliding like water over rocks. When Duo laughed, Trowa inhaled at the husky sound. Violet eyes fixed on his before Duo gave him a kiss that took his breath away, leaving him wanting more. "I want you, Trowa. Have no doubts about that," he said, trailing his tongue around Trowa's ear, dipping inside briefly. "But this time I want it to be about you."

"Wha-what do y-you mean?" He was finding it hard to think, the tongue a distraction plus the body tensing around him making him lose what was left of coherent thought.

"I might not have had sex before you, but I have watched enough porn to know the difference between making love and plain sex," Duo stated bluntly.

Trowa was surprised to find himself blushing at the frank words that fell from Duo's lips. Once he comprehended the meaning behind the sentence, his entire body pulsed with readiness. "You didn't enjoy what we did before?"

"Oh, yes. I enjoyed it a great deal, and I believe you did too," Duo raised his face to meet Trowa's, waiting until he got a nod of agreement before continuing. "So now that you've shown me one side of sex, you need to show me the other."

Trowa was having problems grasping the meaning of the words; he thought he had an idea of what Duo wanted, but he needed to be sure. "What exactly do you want, Duo?"

The response was a whisper in his ear, hot and lusty, "Take me, Trowa."

His body reacted before his mind could catalog the words, surging forward and pushing Duo back down to the bed. The American let out a shriek, but was laughing at the same time, so Trowa didn't get concerned. The foremost thought in his mind was to take Duo, claim him, mark him as Trowa's and no one else's. Rational thoughts were gone, put aside as a more primal facet of his personality came to the front.

Some time later, he collapsed to his side, bringing Duo with him, gasping for air. They were silent for several minutes; Trowa trying to gather his wits enough to make sure Duo was okay. It took more time than he would have believed possible to get the energy to lift his arms to stroke Duo's back. "You okay?" was all he said, his body sapped of all strength.

When he received no answer it concerned him enough to push his body up to look at his lover. "Duo?"

Violet eyes were wide and staring at the ceiling, dazed. Trowa moved to place his body over Duo's, watching him with concern. He pushed the tattered braid to the side, careful not to pull it and hurt Duo any further. Green eyes traced over the pale skin, concern turning to full blown worry when he saw the bruises that had been left by his own hands. He gently brushed his lips over the separate marks on Duo's hips, one left by almost every finger. "I'm so sorry, Duo."

"For what?" Duo's voice was raspy,.

"I hurt you."

"Huh?" Duo sat up slightly, propping himself on his elbows and looking at Trowa with confusion. Trowa ran a finger over the dark marks as an explanation, feeling a mix of trepidation and horror. He was surprised when Duo snorted at him, "You didn't hurt me, Trowa. I don't break that easy."

"I wanted to mark you, not bruise you," he mumbled, not paying attention to what he was saying.

"You wanted to mark me?" Duo was watching him with a strange expression. With a swallow, Trowa nodded a little. When the American grinned suddenly, he wasn't sure what to think. Duo turned his head to the side, exposing the neck that Trowa had been sucking on, showing him the dark hickey that he had left. He cautiously met Duo's eyes, surprised when the other man grinned. "I can feel it, even now." Duo yawned, shifting his body so his head was on the pillow, still smiling tiredly. "I like being marked by you, Tro," he mumbled.

Trowa abruptly realized that he was grinning like a loon. He made several attempts to wipe the unusual expression off his face, but the smile kept creeping back. Finally giving up on erasing the grin, he settled down beside Duo, watching the other man, who had fallen asleep again. He wondered if it was the lovemaking that had tired Duo so much, or if the man had taken any time to rest in his busy life.

Pulling the blankets over them, he threaded his legs with Duo's, smiling again when the striking man moved closer, using his shoulder as a pillow. He wrapped his arms around Duo, placing a soft kiss on the top of his head, resolving to talk to Duo tomorrow, in order to work out some things. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. If you do, I'll sic my kids on you.

Warnings: Yaoi, lime, adult language, adult situations

Authors Note: If you have previously read this on MediaMiner, you will notice that certain parts are missing. As much as I hated to do it, I had to take a few things out in order to comply with FF.N regulations. Let me know if you like it, hate it, or are just plain indifferent. Please tell me something!

On with the fic!

The smell of coffee and bacon woke Trowa up the next morning. The first thing he did was roll over, reaching across the bed for Duo. His sleep muddled mind finally caught up to his actions and he berated himself for groping blindly for his bed partner. He blinked his eyes open, not surprised to find himself alone. If there was coffee and bacon, then reason would state that someone had to be up to fix it.

Rubbing his face, he sat up and found himself smiling when he took in the disheveled state of the bed, recalling how it had ended up so messed up. His smile grew when he saw his bag sitting on the top of the desk, obviously placed there by Duo. Did this mean he was supposed to stay in Duo's room for the rest of his stay? He really hoped so.

Going into Duo's bathroom he took a quick shower, eager to see his lover again. He had no doubts about what he wanted, had no regrets about what had happened last night, but what did Duo want? Would the other man be willing to open his life to Trowa?

Opening the bottle of shampoo, he froze at the scent. His eyes closed as he breathed in the hint of cinnamon that wafted from the bottle. His heart clenched painfully as love for Duo flooded his being. He couldn't imagine the rest of his life without the other man in it. It was as if his life up until now had been preparing him for this time, this moment, this person.

Even the years he had spent with Quatre had made him a stronger person, more independent on himself, not relying on anyone else for his emotional well-being. While Quatre had been kind and caring, the Arabian had been far too busy to deal with someone that was emotionally dependent. Trowa had been lucky enough to learn this lesson early in their relationship, even if being put second had caused some hurt at times.

Washing his hair with the cinnamon shampoo, his way of keeping Duo with him throughout the day, Trowa realized that a life with Duo would be much different than the one he had shared with Quatre. While Quatre had kept him as far away from the family company as possible, he had a feeling that Duo would be the opposite, wanting to involve Trowa as much as he could with the businesses that he owned.

Rinsing the soap away, he decided that he would enjoy being able to help Duo with his businesses. Not only could he offer support when it was needed, he could also go on trips to the colonies, in essence acting as a bodyguard for his lover, just in case. He shook his head as he turned off the water, trying to stop his thoughts. He was getting ahead of himself at this point, his wants and desires filling his mind. He wasn't even sure that Duo would want more from him than occasional sex. He ignored the pang of pain at the thought, pushing himself to get dressed.

After pulling on his clothes, comprising of a faded pair of worn jeans and a favorite t-shirt, he glanced in the mirror, then turned to face it head on, surprised at the changes he could see on his face.

His hair was still damp, but shiny. His skin was glowing with a flush from the heat of the shower and a night of passion. His eyes were a rich green, shimmering with vitality and life as they looked back at him. He even wore the hints of a constant smile, the expression feeling more natural on his face as more time with Duo passed. He had never been one to show his feelings, not one to smile that much. Being with Duo was changing him, and all of the changes had been good ones, so far.

Trowa brushed his teeth and tried to tame his hair, then moved cautiously out of the bedroom, hoping not to disturb Duo. Hearing Duo's voice, he followed it to the kitchen, smiling again when he saw the American leaning against the counter, a cup of coffee in one hand and a phone in the other. Several plates of food had been placed on the table, along with two settings.

Moving across the space, he stopped several feet from Duo, not sure if he would be welcome while the other man was occupied. Duo solved the problem by closing the distance between them, setting his coffee on the counter, and wrapping a long arm around his waist, tilting his head back. Taking the hint, Trowa leaned down and kissed the smiling mouth, glad that Duo seemed to prefer a handset phone rather than the vid-phone.

What was meant to be a quick, chaste kiss got out of control when Duo ran his tongue along Trowa's bottom lip. Without thinking about what he was doing, Trowa opened his mouth and deepened the kiss, his hands burrowing in the base of Duo's braid, holding the man close.

Hearing a noise, he pulled away, looking around in confusion. When he finally placed the sound, he chuckled into Duo's ear, "The phone, love. Someone does not sound happy."

Dazed eyes regarded him for a second before Duo shook his head. "Oh, shit," he muttered, retracting his arms from where they had wound around Trowa's waist. He stared blankly at the phone for a moment, then took a deep breath, sending Trowa an apologetic look. Trowa began to walk away to give his lover some privacy, stopping when a hand grabbed his arm. Duo put the phone back to his ear, speaking to the person on the other end, wincing as the voice rose to a fever pitch over the line.

Trowa winced in sympathy, dropping a kiss on Duo's head and turning to rummage in the cabinets for a coffee cup. He listened to the conversation on Duo's end as he fixed a cup of the hot brew, taking a deep breath of the coffee before taking a small sip.

Duo must have gotten tired for the berating he was receiving on the phone. Trowa was transfixed as he watched Duo's cheerful smile vanish, eyes turning cold and hard. He raised an eyebrow in question but didn't ask for fear of that wrath turning on him. Shinigami was a scary creature, and one he had no intention of going against.

"That's enough," the tone was firm, commanding, cold and not allowing for any argument. There was silence coming from the other end, then the same voice began again. Trowa couldn't make out words, but the whiny tone was enough to have him shaking his head. Duo must have had enough of it, as well, "Either you do what I told you to do, or I find someone else to do it, Marcus. I don't care how many accolades or awards you have for being a good secretary, from my point of view, you are not doing the job I hired you for. You will do what I asked, and have it done by Monday afternoon, or you will be looking for another job. This is the last chance you get. You've screwed up too many times already." Duo hung up on the person without giving them another chance to speak.

When the phone was dropped to the counter with a clatter, Trowa moved forward and wrapped his arms around the lean man, pulling Duo against him. "Problems?" He asked, holding his breath to see what the answer would be. This was the point where Quatre would politely tell him that it was business and none of his concern.

Duo sighed deeply, resting his head on Trowa's chest, "This guy is supposed to be my secretary, but he wont do a damn thing I tell him to," he huffed.

Trowa let out the breath he had been holding in relief, guiding Duo to the table to sit. Giving the American another quick kiss, he glanced at the food on the table, "I'm guessing you cooked?"

"It's probably cold by now," Duo pouted, making him totally adorable. "I was planning to wake you, then Marcus called. I've been arguing with him for over half an hour. I could heat it up?"

He shook his head, leaning forward for another kiss. Just watching Duo made him crave for a taste all over again. Sitting back, his eyes fixed on the hickey on Duo's neck, the contrast of the red mark and the pale skin startling. He placed his thumb over the mark, rubbing it lightly, "This is fine, as long as you don't mind eating it cold," his voice came out husky and low.

Duo trembled and leaned into his touch, eyes sliding closed. If Trowa didn't control himself, they were going to end up back in the bedroom. While that wouldn't be a bad thing at any other time, right now they needed to talk, spend more time together that didn't involve sex. Reluctantly, he pulled his hand away, smiling as Duo moaned at the loss of touch. His Duo was an extremely tactile person, and to his surprise, he was learning that he was also.

Taking the initiative, Trowa began filling their plates with the various items- bacon, eggs, toast, and muffins. "Will you tell me about this Marcus guy?"

"Everyone kept telling me that I needed to get a secretary," Duo snorted between bites of food. "Car has been doing the job, but with her being promoted to the manager at the restaurant and all, she's been really busy and doesn't have time to do it anymore. I can keep up with it myself, mostly, but it really helps to have someone else making the appointments. I can do it," he defended himself, making Trowa smile at the defensiveness. Duo must have realized what he was doing, for he smiled ruefully and shrugged eloquently. "I really can, regardless of what everyone else believes. There have been quite a few arguments about it, actually."

"I'm guessing that everyone says you can't do it because you are so busy?" Trowa shook his head in sympathy.

"Actually, everyone says I'm too scatter- brained," Duo told him, laughing at the dumbfounded look he received. "I'm not, really. I just hate talking on the phone. In order to make an appointment with anyone, you have to work your way through the secretary and if you are lucky, you might get an appointment while you are on the phone the first time. Usually, though, you have to wait until they can call you back to set something up, depending on when they are available. It drives me crazy," he added, putting his head on his hand, elbow resting on the table.

"So what is Marcus supposed to be doing now, that he isn't doing?"

"This guy came highly recommended by the service that I talked to. He has several awards for good service and he is supposed to be one of the best, but he has a severe attitude. He thinks that no one else could do the job just as good, if not better than him, so he assumes that means he can do everything his way." Duo's eyes pled for Trowa to understand, and he did. Duo would want to be in control of any situation, and for an employee to ignore his orders would not sit well. Trowa would feel the same way if he was in Duo's position. When he nodded, Duo sighed in relief, his body relaxing slightly, the stress causing him to tense. "I need to meet with some officials on the L3 cluster. Marcus is a grounder. He has no idea how to go about scheduling an appointment with a citizen, but he is giving me the runaround about getting it done. I should have already had a meeting with the heads on XR-3291, but he keeps putting it off. I think he's scared of the citizens, and he doesn't understand the lingo they use." Duo used the word citizens to describe the life-long members of the colonies, like he used the word `grounders' to describe someone that was Earth born. Trowa assumed he would also use the word `spacers' to describe the many space pirates and people that spent the majority of their lives in the deep darkness of space on ships, like the Sweepers group Duo knew so well in their youth.

He mulled the problem over in his mind, seeing a solution to Duo's problem and finding a way to ensure his continued presence beside Duo. "So you need to find someone that isn't intimidated by citizens, or grounders. Someone that will listen when you give them an order. Anything else?"

Duo looked into the distance, thinking, a line between his brows. "I don't really know. I should just fire the guy and do it myself," he said finally.

Trowa frowned when Duo spoke. This was the businessman that he hadn't seen that much of, and the businessman was tired. He watched Duo for a moment, trying to find the best way to bring up his idea. Strategy had never been his strong point, he much preferred to shoot the hell out of something then sort out the problems later.

He rose, gathering up dishes to take to the kitchen, Duo following him. The domesticity of the chore stuck in his mind for a moment, pleasing him greatly. Duo was bent over the dishwasher when Trowa was ready to speak again, making him lose his train of thought for a second, until he shook his head and removed his eyes from Duo's firm backside. "If you had the perfect secretary, what would they do?"

Closing the appliance, Duo glanced at him with a grin, holding out his hand. Trowa took the offered hand and let himself be led to the couch, settling on it with Duo leaning on his chest. "My perfect secretary. Let's see here. Intelligent and able to actually talk about the business at hand, supplying ideas and suggestions. They would have to be able to look around and give an opinion about how to improve things. They would have to be willing to travel, on Earth and off and not be scared of new situations. Someone that wouldn't be afraid to challenge me if I say something that doesn't make sense, or if they have a better idea, but also has the brains to keep their mouth shut if they don't understand the situation." He leaned forward, turning to look at Trowa with a rueful grin. "It's a total pipe dream, isn't it? I'll never find anyone capable of all that, at least, not that I can stand that would be willing to work for me."

He waited until Duo settled back against him, wrapping his arms around him, sighing in contentment when Duo twined their fingers over his chest. "How much does this position pay?" He snickered when Duo named an amount, "No wonder you can't get anyone worth a damn to work for you. That's all you pay a year?"

"That's the pay for a month, Trowa," Duo said softly, cutting off all amusement. Trowa went from humor to shock in seconds, making a choking noise.

"A month? That's more than I get paid in three months by the Preventers," his mind was running at full speed again. "Would you be willing to hire someone new if they proved that they could do the job? Even if they didn't have any experience?"

Duo turned his body, his face curious and wary at the same time, "You sound like you have someone in mind for this."

"I do, but you would have to agree to hire them if they can pass a test," Trowa lay down the challenge, knowing that Duo wouldn't be able to resist, "unless you would rather keep the guy you have now."

The American threw his head back and laughed, bawdy and loud. After a moment, he calmed down to chuckles. He turned over and draped himself over Trowa without any warning, stealing his breath away with a kiss. Before Trowa was able to respond, Duo was standing beside the couch, a wicked grin on his face. "I'm gonna go soak for a while, loosen up my muscles a bit. You call your friend and explain the deal. If they can get me an appointment set up for next week by the end next week, they have a job and Marcus is gone. Details are on the desk in our room."

In a blink, the braided man was gone, leaving Trowa spinning around just in time to see the end of Duo's braid slip into the room he had not yet been in. His head poked back out, an impish smile fixed on his features. "When you get done talking to your friend, you can come join me if you want."

Trowa was grinning and shaking his head at Duo's antics as he went into the bedroom, heart fluttering as he remembered Duo calling it their room. The desk was neat, almost compulsively in order, making it easy to find the appointment book with the pertinent data inside.

He checked quickly to make sure that Duo was occupied, he stood at the door that Duo had disappeared behind and listened, hearing the sound of running water. Curious about the unseen room, but determined to complete the task he was doing, he returned to the living room to make the calls that could change the course of his life. The meeting was relatively easy to set up, making Trowa believe that Marcus had been lying about making the calls in the first place. Duo's instincts had been right about this guy.

He opened the door slowly, not sure what to expect. His throat dried up when his eyes took in what was in the room. There was a huge hot tub, filled almost all the way to the brim with steaming hot water. The room was warm, like a sauna would be, with several plants scattered about. There were skylights in the roof, letting in the natural sunlight and giving the room a soft, welcoming glow.

The most beautiful and amazing thing in the room, in Trowa's opinion, was the man that was leaning back against the side of the tub, eyes closed, hair down and floating in the water around him. From the pile of clothing in the floor, it was easy to discern that Duo was completely bare under the surface of the water.

One eyes blinked lazily open. Duo smiled slowly, totally relaxed, stretching much like a cat waking from a nap. Trowa realized that he was staring when Duo looked at him patiently. "You gonna come in, or just stand there?"

He didn't think it was possible to get undressed as fast as he did, anticipating being close to the intoxicating man again. He also had some good news to share, he reasoned. There was also the fact that he wanted to thread his fingers in the mass of unbound hair more than he could have believed possible.

Sliding in, he hissed at the heat of the water, enjoying the warmth on his muscles taxed from the strenuous lovemaking the night before. He sat beside Duo, not sure how to vocalize his desires. He didn't have to worry about it, Duo moving to sit between his legs, leaning back on his chest, long hair winding around both of them, tendrils tickling Trowa's legs. He sighed in pleasure, leaning forward to put his nose in the back of Duo's hair, inhaling deeply. "How do you always seem to know what I want?"

"What do you mean?"

"Every time I want to do something or say something, but don't know how, I don't have to because you do whatever it is that I want. Are you able to read my mind?"

Duo chuckled, his head falling back to lean on Trowa's shoulder. "I just do what I want with you. I figured I'd better take advantage of you while I can."

"What do you mean take advantage of me while you can?" Trowa could hear the hurt in his voice, so he held his breath, hoping Duo wouldn't catch it.

Unfortunately, the American had made a study of people for many years, "You have to go back to work Monday, then you are going back home after that, right? Don't you have someone waiting for you back in DC?" Trowa didn't think he was imagining the hurt in the low voice.

"There's no one waiting for me, Duo. There's only you. As for my job…we need to talk about that, I think."

Duo's body tensed as he pulled away, moving to the opposite side of the hot tub. Trowa recognized the instinctive attempt to put distance between them, protecting from a possible hurt. Instead of making him feel bad, the move actually encouraged Trowa to continue with his explanation. If he had the ability to hurt Duo, that meant that Duo felt _something_ for him. "First of all, you have an appointment with the L3 colony representatives next Thursday. If that doesn't work for you, all you need to do is call and reschedule and they will work with you."

Violet eyes were narrowed, watching him cautiously, waiting for the point. "I agreed that I would give the job to whoever you had in mind if they could set it up, so that's a done deal." Even Duo's tone was wary.

"Thanks. I'll need it once I resign from the Preventers." Trowa figured he was one of the only people in the universe to see Duo shocked speechless, his mouth falling open in surprise. "I would like it if you could wait until I get done with my assignment, so I could go with you, though," he moved slowly, closing the space between them, reaching a hand up to tangle in Duo's hair, floating on the surface of the water.

"Why would you give up your job to work for me?"

"A number of reasons, actually. I haven't been happy with my job for a long time, ever since I started being assigned to guard jobs. I have become a glorified security guard in the last few months. Besides, working for you would have a lot of benefits," he met Duo's eyes, letting the other man see his honesty. He had to smile when he saw that Duo was breathing shallowly. "The pay is a hell of a lot better, I would get to travel, and I would get to stay with you," he dropped the last part like a bomb, watching Duo carefully for a reaction.

He wasn't disappointed. As he had spoke, Duo's eyes had skittered away from his, not looking at him any longer yet allowing him to see the hurt and pain that each of his words caused. As his final words met the air, Duo's eyes jerked back to him, unshed tears shining brightly. Trowa pulled the other man close, skimming one hand over the unbound hair, his other hand holding Duo's chin in a firm grip so he could place small kisses on every inch of Duo's face.

Duo's breath sobbed out, stifled quickly as he tried to smile. "Are you sure about this? Working with me won't be as exciting as working for the Preventers."

Taking that animated face in both of his hands, he pulled Duo in for a firm kiss, smiling against his lips. "I've had more excitement in the last two days with you than I have in the last five years anywhere else."

His voice was ringing with sincerity and must have proven to Duo that he was telling the truth. Mere seconds later, Duo tackled Trowa to the side of the tub, water spilling over the sides, letting him know exactly how he felt about the idea of Trowa remaining with him. 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. If you do, I'll sic my kids on you.

Warnings: Yaoi, lime, adult language, adult situations

Authors Note: If you have previously read this on MediaMiner, you will notice that certain parts are missing. As much as I hated to do it, I had to take a few things out in order to comply with FF.N regulations. Let me know if you like it, hate it, or are just plain indifferent. Please tell me something!

On with the fic!

Several hours later, Trowa was reclining on the couch, watching Duo chat with the man that had delivered their dinner. They had spent the day talking about anything that came to mind, Trowa sharing several humorous experiences that had occurred during some of his bodyguard duties, reveling in Duo's laughter.

Duo had explained the responsibilities of his new job, waving off the fact that he wouldn't be able to start until his last job was over. Trowa had found himself having to bury his head in a pillow to muffle his laughter when Duo had called Marcus to tell him he had been replaced, keeping the speaker phone on so he could hear the ranting from the egotistical man.

All in all, Trowa hadn't had so much fun in his life, not even as a child getting to play with guns and explosives. His stomach was aching from the laughter he had shared with Duo, his face muscles stiff from the constant smiling. They had been discussing the possibilities of Car dating Alexi when the food had arrived.

When Duo had answered the door in nothing but a short robe, one side falling off his shoulder, Trowa had been concerned that the young man in the hallway was going to swallow his tongue. He couldn't help but be amused by the man's blatant come-ons and overt flirting with his lover. He couldn't blame the man for being attracted to Duo, but he had been standing in the door for almost ten minutes, not letting Duo shut the door. It was time to let the man know that Duo already belonged to someone.

He rose slowly, wearing nothing but a pair of Duo's loose shorts. Making sure his body was hidden by Duo's, he reached forward and wrapped an arm loosely over the American's shoulder, pushing his hand down the front of the robe, parting it just a bit more. The delivery man's voice trailed off when Trowa moved forward, placing his mouth at Duo's ear. He could see the man watching him as he trailed his tongue around the rim, could hear the man's quick gasp when he pushed his hand even further down the front of the robe.

Duo moaned, letting his head roll to the side, exposing his neck. Trowa targeted the hickey he had placed there before with his tongue, laving it lovingly. When they both heard a whimper and a thump, the both looked up to see the glassy eyes of the delivery man fixed on them. When he realized he was being watched, the man jumped and backed away from the door, mumbling "Have a good night", before fleeing to the elevator, his hand shoved deep in his pants pocket.

Laughing, Duo picked up the bags the man had dropped, his eyes twinkling in amusement. "He didn't even wait for his tip," he snickered as he took the food to the small table in front of the couch.

Trowa was also laughing as he retrieved plates and forks, along with the bottle of wine they hadn't finished. "He's probably involved with getting his tip on the way down in the elevator," he said, thinking about the flushed face and hand in the pocket.

"I never would have figured you would be an exhibitionist, Trowa," Duo smiled, tucking his legs under him and taking the plate offered to him, already laden with spicy Thai food.

"If I could take you in the middle of your restaurant during rush hour, I would," the green eyes were glowing with the exciting thought. "You wouldn't enjoy it?"

Duo blushed while smiling, "I'm sure I would, right before I got arrested and my business closed down. Until then, I'd enjoy the hell out of myself."

He was watching Duo out the corner of his eye while he took a few bites of the spicy food, "If it let everyone know that you were mine, it might be worth it," he was only partly joking, but sobered when he saw the other man's hand falter and a flash of pain cross the expressive features. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Duo's tone told a different story.

"I thought you didn't lie," Trowa commented, not surprised to see the other man wince. He turned his body on the couch so he was able to face his lover better. "What is it? Please don't lie to me."

The American set his plate on the low table, picking up his wine glass and fumbling with the stem, "It's not a lie," he defended with his head down. "There is nothing wrong, not really. I just wanted to know…how long?"

"How long?"

Duo was turned away, but Trowa could still see the red staining his face. The braided man shrugged, the movement jerky with nerves. "How long are you willing to claim me? How long will it be before you get tired of me and move on?" The words were said softly, trembling at the end.

"Oh, hell," he quickly placed his plate beside Duo's and pulled the smaller man into his lap. Firmly cupping the chin, he made sure that Duo was looking at him. "I should have explained better," he apologized, "I'm still not very good with words." Taking a moment to sort his thoughts, he absent-mindedly brushed a kiss across the lips so close to his own while rubbing Duo's back and arms. "I have never been one to talk a lot, you know that. When I'm trying to explain how I feel, sometimes I leave a lot out without meaning to. Please bear with me, okay?"

Duo nodded, tucking his head under Trowa's chin, his fingers trailing over the firm chest while waiting. "I understand that's it's hard to say what you actually think sometimes. I'm good at saying everything except what I feel. I've made it a life-long habit."

Trowa snickered at the accurate description of Duo's ability to speak for hours without ever revealing anything personal. "It took me three weeks to explain to Quatre that I didn't love him," he said suddenly, surprising himself with the non sequitur. The other man appeared to be as startled by the confession, leaning back to look at Trowa with a frown. "It was hard to let him know how I felt. I didn't really understand how to explain the difference between him and the other person I had feelings for. It got so bad at one point, he made me sit and list the things I felt about each person. Once he was finished listening, he told me that I felt love, even though I couldn't understand it at the time."

Duo nodded, hiding his face in Trowa's chest again, his fingers wrapping around his arms. Trowa smiled, realizing that the braided man was hiding from the issue again. It was time for him to tell Duo everything, all the things he had been keeping secret without meaning to. He placed a kiss on the chestnut hair, smiling, "It took a while for him to convince me to tell the other person how I felt, helped me work out what I would say. I had it all planned out, had practiced with Quatre's help and everything."

"What happened?" Duo's natural curiosity overcame the pain Trowa could hear in his voice.

"I was never able to tell him how I felt. After that, Quatre asked me to stay with him, and I agreed, even if I could never feel the same way about him."

"What happened? Why didn't you tell the other person how you felt?"

Trowa waited a moment, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. He exhaled slowly, pulling Duo back so he could look into the beautiful violet eyes that could take his breath away with a glance. "Because you never came to Relena's. You disappeared, Duo, and no one knew how to find you."

The American froze, his eyes growing wide, his mouth forming an `o' of surprise. Duo stared at him for a long time before taking in a deep breath and wrapping his arms around Trowa with surprising strength. Trowa returned the embrace, holding the slender body to him as tight as he could without causing harm. "It was always you, Duo. I didn't know what to do when you disappeared. Quatre helped me look for you for a few months, but it was hurting him, so I gave up, not knowing what else to do."

"I'm sorry, Trowa. I didn't know." Duo leaned back, tracing the contours of Trowa's face with first his fingers, then his lips. Trowa closed his eyes, enjoying the feather-light touches. He shivered when Duo's breath ghosted across the shell of his ear, tilting his head to allow access. Warm air moved to his neck, Duo speaking against his skin, "I left because I couldn't bear to see you with Quatre anymore. It was too painful."

With a soft noise, Trowa pushed Duo back to lie on the couch, covering the lithe body with his own. Dinner was forgotten for the second night in a row.

The phone ringing in his ear brought Trowa out of his dream. He was barely awake when he heard Duo grunt into the phone, "This better be good."

The American fell silent momentarily, then abruptly jumped off the couch and began to pace in front of the large window. Trowa pushed himself to his elbows, watching Duo closely, noting the stress that had appeared there, even as he appreciated the view of his lover pacing naked.

It was several minutes before Duo stopped moving, his shoulders slumping as he sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Have the car pick me up in an hour, and then get the jet ready to go. I plan to be in Miami before morning rush hour." He disconnected the call and stood still, his head hanging down.

Trowa could almost see the stress and tension emitting from his love. Rising from the couch, he moved across the room, taking the nude form in his arms. Duo put his arms around the taller man's waist, holding on tightly for a few seconds before heaving another sigh. "I have to go, Trowa."

"I know, Duo. It's okay. I can use the rest of the day to prepare for my assignment and sending my resignation to Une. It'll take me a while to figure out what to say." He touched the top of Duo's head with his lips, breathing in the scent of the other man. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"A fire at one of my restaurants," Duo pulled away, heading for the bedroom. His voice was weary. "It's the fifth fire to be set in one of my businesses in the last two months. We were hoping that it was just a coincidence, but it doesn't look that way."

"Do the police have any leads?" The investigator in Trowa came awake, his eyes narrowing.

"None. I have a private investigator that's been looking into it, but she hasn't found anything either. It appears that the fires are being set by an imaginary person. No evidence at all, not even signs of an accelerant that can be found."

Alarms were going off in Trowa's mind. He could be overreacting, but he believed that his lover was in danger, and said so. "It sounds like you are being targeted, Duo. I don't like it."

"I don't like it either," the braided man snorted, pulling clothes out of his closet. "I agree with you, by the way. I don't think someone is after me, but they do seem to have something against the Maxwell Foundation."

"You are the Maxwell Foundation."

"I know that, you know that, and a few select people know that, but it's not something that the general population is aware of. To them, the foundation is just a company formed by a group of people." Trowa quickly recalled how easily he found the link between the foundation and the man through a simple computer search.

Frowning at the reasonable tone, he watched as Duo set his clothes on the bed, then turned to him with a smile. A hand was stretched in his direction, along with a wicked grin. "Take a shower with me before I have to go?" With a shake of his head, Trowa let himself be pulled into the bathroom.

Much too soon, Duo was dressed and answering his phone, acknowledging the call from the lobby letting him know that his car had arrived. He grabbed his briefcase, and then dropped it back to the floor, moving into Trowa's open arms. Trowa held the other man close, "Please wait until I can go with you," he murmured into the thick hair, still partially wet. He hated to bring up the topic again, but felt he had to.

"Are you always gonna be this protective?" Duo asked him with a smile he could hear, but not see. "We already talked about this, Tro. I have to go now. This won't wait."

Closing his eyes, Trowa took in a deep breath. He had already broached the subject of Duo waiting until his assignment was over so he could accompany his lover, but Duo felt it was important to go on the trip now, to show the arsonist that he wasn't afraid. He forced a smile and tilted his head down to meet his lover's eyes, "We just found each other again. I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't want to live without you, Duo." He didn't let Duo say anything else, claiming the lips that were parted slightly in a passionate kiss, trying to memorize the taste of the other man.

Duo smiled sadly when they parted, retrieving his briefcase. "You'll stay here until you have to go to work?" Trowa nodded, willing to remain in the apartment after Duo had left, immersing himself with the American's presence even if the man was going to be gone. "Will you call me when your assignment is over?" the braided man was looking at his feet, his tone shy.

Trowa snorted, rolling his eyes when Duo looked up. "I'll call every chance I get, and I'll be back here when I'm done. I promise," he added, seeing hope shine in Duo's eyes, "As long as you promise to call me when you get to Miami, and keep me updated."

With one more kiss, he released Duo, watching as the other man walked down the hall and entered the elevator with a small wave. He wanted to run and stop his lover, but couldn't think of a reasonable argument. How could he explain that he had a really, really bad feeling about this?


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. If you do, I'll sic my kids on you.

Warnings: Yaoi, lime, adult language, adult situations

Authors Note: If you have previously read this on MediaMiner, you will notice that certain parts are missing. As much as I hated to do it, I had to take a few things out in order to comply with FF.N regulations. Let me know if you like it, hate it, or are just plain indifferent. Please tell me something!

On with the fic!

The day passed slowly for Trowa. Unable to go back to sleep, he lay on the bed that he had shared with Duo, inhaling the scent that still remained on the sheets and pillows, remembering the times he and Duo had been intimate.

He had been astonished to learn that Duo had managed to keep his innocence after all this time. He had been even more shocked when he had learned how willing to experiment Duo was. Anything that he had suggested, the American had agreed quickly, sometimes pouncing on Trowa in his eagerness. The memory made Trowa smile, laughing slightly at himself acting like a love sick fool.

Nearly an hour passed before he got out of the bed. He walked through the apartment naked, locating Duo's discarded robe and pulling it on his own body, burying his nose in the fabric briefly. Realizing what he was doing, he shook his head, amused by the way he was reacting to the other man's absence.

Resolving not to do anything else foolish, he cleaned the forgotten food off the table, the memory of taking Duo on the couch running through his mind, making the chore much more pleasant. While running the dishwasher, he recalled not only all the things that he and Duo had done, but also all the things they had discussed between their bouts of lovemaking.

The time they had spent together had been short in reality, but felt like it had been much longer. He had learned so much about Duo that he hadn't been aware of. He hadn't been surprised that the American hid a remarkable intelligence behind his sharp wit, and could debate on many topics at the drop of a hat, or an offhand remark.

Trowa had been awed when he learned that Duo had never had any formal schooling until after the war. He had been taught to read by the people that had run the orphanage, but the young American hadn't been interested in an education at the time, more concerned with surviving. His time with Professor G had trained him in the many things that were necessary for the operation of his Gundam. There had been a few moments of disbelief when Trowa discovered that Duo had managed to learn how to operate Deathscythe in a matter of months, while he himself had been trained for several years at the real Trowa Barton's side, in case a replacement had been needed.

He had found that they shared a number of interests, including old movies and classical music. They both enjoyed a number of sports, and both had an artistic side as well, Trowa composing and playing music, Duo drawing and painting with an impressive amount of skill. There was also a shared love of exotic and gourmet food, and both enjoyed to cook. He had been delighted to hear that Duo was the one to create the menus for the second floor of all his restaurants, leaving the first floor menu up to the manager of the restaurant as long as it was approved beforehand.

To distract himself from his lover's missing presence, he pulled out the file on his next assignment, spending several hours memorizing all the pertinent information. After that task was complete, he got dressed, then took his laptop and composed his resignation letter to Une. He expected to have a number of questions and inquiries about this decision, and wasn't disappointed.

After he sent the e-mail to his commander, his phone began to ring almost immediately. He answered it with a sigh, already knowing what he was going to hear. "Hello, Ann," he answered, deliberately used his commander's first name, letting her know that he had no intention of arguing about his decision.

"Barton, I just received an interesting bit of mail. Care to explain why one of my best agents is quitting?"

He laughed a little at the question, "One of your best agents? Come now, tell the truth. I've been worthless for several months now."

"You've been a bit…off lately. You'll be back to your regular status in no time," she reassured him softly.

"I have no urge to be back to my regular status. I've been offered another position," he spoke bluntly now.

"You are considering another position? With whom?"

"I'm not considering it. I've already accepted. I start as soon as I get done with the job here. After that, I will no longer be an agent with the Preventers."

There was a moment of silence after his declaration. He heard a sigh, "With whom?"

"The Maxwell Foundation."

The bark of laughter surprised him, and he looked at the phone with a frown before placing it back to his ear just in time to hear the lady speak, her voice still reflecting her amusement. "I was wondering when you two would end up running into each other. Do you have any idea how many times the two of you have missed each other in the past three years?"

"What do you mean?"

"Almost every time you were in a city during the last three years, Duo Maxwell was in the same city at the same time. I never could figure out how you managed to miss him all the time. I didn't think that was possible, considering how often you have been in Death's Delight."

Trowa was stunned into silence for several minutes, his mind running faster than it had in a long time. "And why was I in the same cities as Duo for the last three years?" He dreaded the answer, but thought he had an idea already.

"Someone requested it, actually." The commander fell silent for some time, then breathed out with a gust of air into the phone. "I assumed that you were aware of the request, Barton."

"I was not," his tone was flat as he replied. "So in essence, the last three years of my career with the Preventers has been a total sham. I guess this explains why there were so many last minute changes in my schedule," Trowa was aware of how irritated he sounded, a reflection of how he felt. To find that his job had been basically controlled by someone's whim was quite upsetting. "Do I even need to ask who was responsible for my farce of a career?"

"I have the feeling that you already have a suspect," Une stated softly.

Taking a deep breath, Trowa rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache forming. "I guess that explains how Quatre met Zechs," he huffed. "How long were you aware of the relationship between them?"

"You speak like I knew of it."

This time it was Trowa's turn to laugh. "There isn't anything that goes on in that building that you aren't aware of, Commander. I'm sure you knew about it, but I don't know why I wasn't at least given some sort of warning to the situation."

"I apologize, Trowa," He could hear the sincerity of her words, supported by the use of his first name. "I honestly didn't know that you and Mr. Winner were still involved until some time later. When I learned of Mr. Winner's involvement with Agent Marquise, I assumed that the two of you had called things off."

"What led you to believe that we had stopped our relationship?" Not sure why he asked, he felt that the answer was important.

"I never saw the two of you together anymore, and you never spoke of him. There were no after mission phone calls, or shared lunches. Those were things that you did together, and when they stopped I assumed you had split up. I am sorry for not asking you about the changes in your schedule. You never complained about it, so I thought you were conscious of the reason behind it."

With a shake of his head, he decided that it was no longer important. His career with the Preventers organization was at an end. "It doesn't really matter anymore, I suppose. The matter at hand is my resignation. Are you going to argue with me about it?"

"Of course not, if this is truly what you want to do. You could always stay with us, with the return to your field mission status."

Trowa had to laugh at the bribe she was offering, "I think I'll have to refuse the offer. I have a feeling that my new job will keep me very occupied."

"I had to try," she laughed back at him across the line, then sobered. "How about I do you a favor to show how truly apologetic I am about letting a civilian influence my decision?"

"I think that depends on the favor."

"I'll try to find someone to take your place for this job. You may have to guard the girl for a few days, but after that, you are free of the Preventers. Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

Trowa spent a few minutes longer on the phone, accepting the favor from Une. She was also willing to help him get his things moved to a warehouse and stopping the lease on his apartment. He knew that he would not be returning to DC, at least not without Duo by his side.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. If you do, I'll sic my kids on you.

Warnings: Yaoi, lime, adult language, adult situations

Authors Note: If you have previously read this on MediaMiner, you will notice that certain parts are missing. As much as I hated to do it, I had to take a few things out in order to comply with FF.N regulations. Let me know if you like it, hate it, or are just plain indifferent. Please tell me something!

On with the fic!

True to her word, three days into the job of guarding the senator's daughter, a different Preventers agent appeared at the door, relieving Trowa from his duty. Agent Nichols handed him a thick manila envelope with a smile, saying it was a final gift from the Commander, just as Trowa was heading out the door with his bag.

In his rental car, curiosity pushed him to open the envelope. He tilted it up, letting the contents spill out onto the passenger car seat, grinning when he saw the items. There was the lease for his apartment, stating that it had been voided and the remainder of his rent for the year would be refunded to his account, less the fee for breaking the contract. He found two receipts for the warehouses, one for the things from his apartment, the other for where his car and motorcycle were being stored until he could reclaim them. A new phone was among the clutter, one that was not networked by the Preventers as his current one was, though the number would remain the same unless he requested it be changed.

The last three items were the ones that had his eyes growing in surprise and pleasure. Two checks, one that was his last paycheck containing pay for another two weeks, and one that had a note from Une saying that it was an early retirement gift from her and the whole of the Preventers. The last item was the title for a shuttle, approved for trips to and from the colonies. The title was listed as being co-owned by him and Duo.

Trowa realized that the commander was aware of Duo's habit of bringing people from the colonies, and this was her way of showing her approval and support. He grinned, anticipating the look on his lover's face when he heard the news. The shuttle that Duo had been using was in good shape, but it was old and small, only able to ferry four passengers at a time. With the new acquisition, they would be able to transport twelve people on one trip.

Thinking of his absent lover, his smile faded into a concerned frown. Duo had called Sunday morning after his arrival in Miami. They had only been able to talk for a few minutes, as the American was on his way to the crime scene that used to be one of his restaurants.

Trowa had been disturbed to learn that Duo was alone, not with Car or Alexi as he had believed. The other man had waved off his concern, stating that he would be surrounded by the local police and his own employees. He had managed to extract a promise from Duo, who vowed to be careful and would remain aware of his environment. Trowa still didn't feel good about the situation, his intuition telling him that Duo was walking into danger.

After disconnecting the call, Trowa had felt even more unsettled, wanting to go to Miami immediately, but still unable to back up his concerns. His worry had only grown in the last three days when there had been no more contact with Duo. His new lover had promised to keep in touch, letting Trowa know the progress of the investigation, but there had been no communication.

Picking up his new phone, Trowa dialed the number he had memorized in the last few days. He felt his shoulders slump when he was sent directly to voice mail again, as it had every time over the last few days. After leaving a quick message, requesting that Duo call him as soon as possible, he made the decision to go to Maxwell's, hoping he would find some answers there.

The moment he walked into the restaurant, he was pounced on by a very frantic bartender with red hair in an untamed mass around her head. "Please tell me you've heard something from Duo," she questioned her eyes wide and panicked.

He didn't let out the gasp he felt forming, instead taking a deep breath, willing his heart to beat slower. "I was going to ask you the same thing," he finally told her.

Grabbing his hand, Car pulled him behind the bar and into the room at the end of it. He took a moment to look around, realizing that this was the office that Car used, but Duo had obviously spent much time inside it, proved by the many photos that were scattered around the space.

Seeing one photo in a prominent position on the large desk, he picked it up and turned it around, releasing the gasp he had held in before. The picture was one that Quatre had taken of him giving Duo a piggyback ride. Duo's grin in the image was clearly happy and Trowa was wearing a small smile of his own, a rarity in those days. The American had usually been able to pull the strange expression out of him, regardless of how much he tried to hide it.

"He cares for you a lot," Car was watching him with a small smile that appeared to be honest but tired. "He's kept that picture in that spot since he opened this place, never moving it."

"I feel the same way about him," he replied to the question that he could see in her eyes. "And I am concerned about him. Is it normal for him to go somewhere alone?"

"Yeah. It's something he does all the time, no matter how much we fuss at him for doing it." Her expression grew pensive, eyes focused inward, "But usually he calls to let us know what's going on. He calls all of us, Trowa. Me, Alexi, and David. There has never been a time when he doesn't call at least once a day, knowing how much we worry. I think something has happened to him."

Setting the photo back on the desk carefully, he nodded slowly. "He promised to let me know how the investigation was progressing, but I haven't heard anything either. Every time I call, I get his voice mail." He stood for a moment, his finger tracing Duo's face on the picture. "How fast could we get to Miami?"

"Duo took the jet, so we have to go on a commercial flight. I'll call, but we probably won't get a flight until tomorrow at the earliest."

She reached for the vid-phone to make the arrangements, but he held up a hand, stalling her movements. "I have a better idea. There is someone I know that could get us there faster, and he owes me. He owes me a lot." He moved to the vid-phone and pushed the buttons to place a call to someone he hadn't spoke to in months.

When the other man answered the vid-phone, he didn't look at the caller instantly, his eyes focused on someone behind the screen. His hair was as light as Trowa remembered, the way sun would look it someone managed to bottle it for sale. His eyes were the same as they used to be, a sea-blue of the still ocean in midday, right now crinkled at the edges with laughter - until his eyes meet Trowa's, then the smile and happiness faded, leaving Trowa to feel sorry for taking the happiness away from the man he had once cared a great deal for.

He abruptly realized that, for the first time since their break-up, he no longer felt any bitterness toward the blonde or his new lover, though he felt quite angry about the way he had been deceived for several years. After waiting a moment, he finally managed to speak in greeting, "Hello, Quatre."

"Trowa, I thought we agreed that there was nothing else to discuss," the Arabian sighed, his voice weary, obviously expecting another fight.

"I'm not calling about us, Quatre. We're done and I'm okay with that, though I wish you could have told me about your involvement with Zechs another way." Trowa waved a hand, shaking his head, keeping his eyes on the other man's, "That's done, we're over, and that's not why I'm calling. I need your help."

Quatre's face became expressive as Trowa spoke, showing his regret for the way they had broke up, then signifying his confusion at Trowa's request. He briefly looked beyond the screen, shaking his head to his companion. Trowa held his tongue, knowing who was on the other side of the screen. When Quatre looked back at him, he seemed resigned to helping. Trowa assumed that his ex-lover still expected him to argue about their relationship. "What can I do for you, Trowa?"

"Do you have a plane or jet anywhere near the California area? I need to get to Miami as soon as possible."

"But…I'm not in the California or Florida area."

"This isn't about you, Quatre," Trowa couldn't control the frustration in his voice. "I told you that I'm over it, and I meant it."

The blonde gave him a curious look, but grabbed the hand held computer he used for his business. It took several seconds, during which Trowa was almost bouncing in his seat with the urge to do something, anything, to find his lover. "There is a company plane in San Francisco."

"Can you get it to come to Los Angeles? I can meet it at the airport," Trowa looked up when Car began to wave her hands for attention, then nodded when she held up three fingers, pointed to herself and mouthing Alexi and David. "Is it big enough to take four passengers, myself included?"

"Yes, of course, but I can't just let you use a company plane so you can go off for a vacation," Quatre's voice was getting a stubborn tone, one that Trowa had learned to hate.

"I don't have to take a fucking vacation, Quatre, since I am no longer employed. Duo's missing and I need to get to Miami to find him. Are you going to help me or should I quit wasting my time with you?"

"What do you mean you aren't employed? What are you talking about? Why is Duo missing? Give me some answers, Trowa," Quatre was livid, eyes wide with disbelief, his tone chiding and condescending at the same time.

Trowa had reached the end of his patience, and he hadn't had much to begin with, his fear for Duo growing with each passing second. The urge to get to his love was all-encompassing, and he was tired of dealing with his ex and his assumptions. "Forget it," he barked, ignoring the shocked look from the man on the screen to look at Car. "Call all the local charters and get us a flight to Miami, no matter the cost. We don't have time to waste." He took a second to glance back at the man looking through the screen at him, the pale face staring at him wordlessly. "Sorry that I bothered you. I thought that you would help a friend in need. I never believed that you would let your feelings for me get in the way of that," he sneered in anger.

He was reaching out to disconnect the call when Quatre's panicked voice called out, "Wait! I can have the jet at the Los Angeles airport in an hour. Will you tell me what is going on?"

"Some other time," he replied absently. "Right now I'm in a hurry and we need to leave. I'm sorry to have to ask you for this, Quatre. I won't be calling you again." He finished his aborted movement, pressing the button that would cut the link between him and his former lover. With a shake of his head, he put the past behind him and rose out of his seat, firmly convinced that he would find the person that was his future.

Car was standing in front of the desk, eyes wide. "Was that Quatre Winner, of the famous Winner family?"

"That would be the one," he stated with distaste for the title.

"And did I just hear you bless him out because he didn't jump to help?" Her amusement was obvious, eyes sparkling.

After thinking about it for a second, he grinned, realizing that it was one of the only times he had ever stood up to the Arabian. "I guess I did."

"Well, hell yeah! That's the Maxwell way to get things done. Now let's go find our boy," she let the grin she had been holding in light up her features, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the restaurant.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. If you do, I'll sic my kids on you.

Warnings: Yaoi, lime, adult language, adult situations

Authors Note: If you have previously read this on MediaMiner, you will notice that certain parts are missing. As much as I hated to do it, I had to take a few things out in order to comply with FF.N regulations. Let me know if you like it, hate it, or are just plain indifferent. Please tell me something!

On with the fic!

A little over an hour later, the four were getting settled on the Winner jet. Alexi, Car, and the man that had been introduced as David were gawking at the luxurious interior of the plane. Trowa, having been inside a number of the Winner family planes, watched them in wry amusement, recalling that he had been just as awed with his first ride.

While they were waiting for lift-off, Trowa took a few minutes to look over the three friends that were so devoted to his new lover. They were a group of people that seemed to be complete opposites, in appearances and personalities, which had joined together because of loyalty to a cheerful American that seemed able to charm the scales off a snake.

Alexi, dark and exotic, with eyes that shone with intelligence and humor normally, now clouded with concern over the fate of his friend and employer, along with a dose of fear because of the upcoming plane ride. His clothing was immaculate, neatly pressed complete with creases in the pants. The tie was loosened in concession to the California heat, but the demeanor of the Russian was tired and hanging on by a thread. His face was strained, and Trowa had to smile at the devotion the man was showing.

Car, bright and rambunctious, her red hair standing out like a beacon, green eyes faded with dread. She had lived on the streets, and knew more than she should have to about the pain that people could inflict on other people. She was clad in faded jeans, a tee-shirt with a picture of the grim reaper on the front, and neon green tennis shoes. Her fingernails had been bitten to the quick, the only way she showed her worry to the public.

David, the man that Trowa had just met, Duo's lawyer, rounded out the group. While not sure what to expect, Trowa had never imagined that the slight man could handle the pressures of being an attorney, and being Duo's attorney would be more demanding than normal. David Worley was small in stature, smaller than Duo himself, and skinny. It appeared that a strong wind would blow the man over, sending him soaring with a gust, but there was strength in the brown eyes that Trowa could respect. The suit that David wore was wrinkled, in bad need of an iron; the leather shoes were as scuffed as the briefcase the man carried. Trowa found himself looking into the brown eyes and trusting the lawyer before they had ever spoken a word to each other.

The three huddled in the cabin, heads bent together, speaking softly. Trowa kept his distance, knowing that the friends would be able to comfort each other better without his interference. Several minutes passed before he became impatient and went to the cockpit, wanting to know what the delay was.

"Why haven't we taken off yet?" he asked the pilot bluntly.

It was the co-pilot that replied, "We are waiting for the rest of the passengers, sir. They should be here in the next few minutes. We will depart shortly."

"There aren't any other passengers. We need to leave now," he stifled the urge to kick the pilot out and fly the plane himself. That wouldn't look very good. Hijacking a Winner plane was bound to have some legal ramifications, but it sounded like a good idea at this moment. Only the knowledge that doing such a thing would delay his reunion with Duo kept him from acting on the idea.

"We have to wait, sir. The other passengers will be boarding in the next few minutes. Please return to your seat," the co-pilot met his eyes apologetically. "It's our orders, sir. I am sorry, but Mr. Winner's orders supersede yours."

Letting out a huff of impatience, he returned to his seat, falling into the chair without his usual grace. Seeing the questions on the faces of the other three people, he growled, "We have to wait. Apparently, there are other passengers coming."

Only two minutes passed before the hatch opened, though to Trowa it felt like a small eternity. When two men entered the plane, he couldn't help but stare in shock. "What the hell are you two doing here?"

Heero Yuy and Chang Wufei stood at the door, identical looks of confusion on both of their faces. Wufei was the one that spoke first, taking a seat and pushing his bag underneath. "Winner called us, stating that you had gotten yourself in trouble. He requested that we help you." Ebony eyes flared with impatience, "Now why don't you explain why you are here, and why we are on our way to Florida?"

Trowa let out the growl he felt, pushing out of his chair again and heading forward. To the co-pilot, he spat, "The other passengers are aboard. Get us in the air, now."

Receiving a nod of confirmation, he retook his seat. He barely managed to keep the sneer out of his voice when he spoke, but it was a close thing. "I told Quatre that I needed transport to Miami in order to help Duo. I never said anything about being in trouble myself, but again he assumed that I don't know how to take care of myself and decided to treat me as a child. That is one reason I don't miss him. I guess it just took a while to figure that out," he added the last part mostly to himself.

When he mentioned Duo's name, he could see the Japanese man stiffen, but didn't understand what caused the sudden tenseness. Wufei went the opposite direction, giving a snort of derision. "You mean we are going to find Maxwell? What has that idiot got himself into now? We should have known that he would never be able to take care of himself after the wars."

The plane began to move forward, taxiing into position as Trowa prepared for the backlash caused by Wufei's statement. He didn't have to wait long, for Car was as passionate in her protection of the missing man as she was with everything. Trowa held back the snicker when a neon green tennis shoe flew across the cabin, hitting the disgruntled Chinese in the forehead with amazing accuracy.

"These are the so-called friends that Duo always worried about?" Car fixed a shocked look on Trowa, her face troubled. "These are the people he followed on the news and through private investigators to make sure they were okay?"

"Did he keep an eye on all of us?" Trowa asked her calmly, smiling when she blushed. Apparently, she wasn't supposed to let that bit of information slip.

She shrugged nonchalantly, "Just until he was sure that the four of you were settled and safe. Even though he couldn't stay didn't mean he wasn't worried about you." She waved a hand in the direction of the glaring Chinese, "And this is the repayment for the loyalty he showed."

"What is she talking about? Everyone knows that Maxwell has never been able to properly take care of himself," Wufei snorted.

The aircraft chose that moment to take off. Trowa waited patiently, anticipating the tongue-lashing that was to come. He was proud that Car managed to remain in her seat until they had leveled off into flight.

Roughly four seconds after the seatbelt sign went off, the redhead was out of her seat, her face inches from Wufei's. "Let me tell you something Mr. High and Mighty, Duo has always been able to take care of himself, and several others. It was because of him and Solo that so many of us street rats held ourselves to a higher standard, believing that there would be better opportunities someday. Even after Solo died, Duo pushed himself to take care of what was left of their gang. He did what he had to do to survive, but he never let go of the lessons he learned by Solo's side. He never reduced himself to selling his body, yet that would have been the easy way to get the money to feed everyone. Instead, he stole, and when he got caught at it, he broke out of jail to get back to the gang and get them to shelter. It was because of him that I'm still alive, just like a number of my friends."

Trowa could only watch, his heart aching for the childhood that both Duo and Car had lost. He had known parts of the other man's life, but to hear it put in those words, by a woman that had been there, was heart wrenching. The fiery woman burst into tears promptly after speaking, allowing Alexi to shakily escort her back to a seat, where she curled into his lap.

Wufei, his dark eyes wide, was watching her with a sort of awe mixed with wariness. "I never knew about his past," he said haltingly.

"He doesn't tell people unless he trusts them completely," Car spoke between her sniffles.

That small statement hit Trowa hard. He turned to look at the three friends, understanding finally how much he had missed in the past years. "I knew," his voice was barely a whisper.

"How much do you know?" David was the one to ask, drawing all eyes to him. He met the stares dead on, not intimidated by three former Gundam pilots.

"I knew all of that, no details, but I knew. I know of the church," he added, watching three pairs of eyes widen. "And I know about him stealing Deathscythe."

"How long have you known?" Alexi had those piercing blue eyes fixed on him.

"During the war, after a mission, Duo told me. I had saved him, but he was hurt, a lucky shot to his leg. We hid in a cave until no one was looking for us anymore. He told me while we were waiting. There were no details, but it was enough to give me a brief glance into what his life had been," Trowa paused, realizing that had been the moment that he had completely fallen for the braided pilot. The cheerful teenager had managed to survive so much and had seemed so strong to him. He didn't know how he had never realized it before.

"He never tells details, not to anyone. It's too hard for him to go back there," Car supplied softly, moving to take the seat beside Trowa, reaching for his hand. When Alexi and David came to take seats near him, he understood that he was now truly in their circle of friends. In that instant, they had become his family. The thought brought tears to his eyes, so he shut them briefly. Car squeezed his hand for just a second before releasing it.

"David, why don't you relate how well Duo can take care of himself? Let this jackass know how little he actually knows about Duo Maxwell."

The small man's smile was slightly evil as he turned to the two Asians, "Duo Maxwell, founder of the Maxwell Foundation, is the sole owner of thirteen restaurants, twenty-six bakeries, twelve delis, three salons, eighteen apartment buildings, and four pet stores with a combined annual income of nine point six million dollars." David smiled when two identical gasps met his announcement, Trowa hiding his own amusement behind his hand. "Out of that, he keeps only two and a half million in his own account, three point one million goes to his business account, and the remanding four million is given to charities or used to construct things that he deems important, such as orphanages or churches."

"You expect me to believe that Duo Maxwell earns over thirty million dollars a year? How is that possible?" Wufei's disbelief was apparent, still choosing to believe in the idea that the American was a complete moron.

"Duo is one of the most astute businessmen I have ever met. He seems to have an instinct about what people want, and the drive to make it happen." There was a large amount of pride in Alexi's voice as he spoke of his friend.

"I can believe that," Heero spoke softly, gathering everyone's attention. "He was always able to know what people wanted to see. Whenever we were at a school, he knew just the right things to say or do to keep the attention away from us, and he always managed to keep me from standing out." Cobalt blue eyes met Trowa's, allowing him to see the concern in them. "What has happened to Duo to cause you such concern?"

"He's missing," Trowa replied, amazed at how calm he sounded. Inside, his guts were quivering with apprehension. "He left early Sunday, and contacted me when he arrived in Miami, promising to call again. I've heard nothing since then."

"This is nonsense," Wufei spat out in disgust. "How do you know he's not just off having a good time? How well do you know him, Barton, considering it has been several years since you saw him last? Why would he suddenly call you if he needed something?"

"I spent three and a half days with him before he was called away." Trowa was blunt with his statement, letting them infer what they wanted about his relationship with Duo. "And it's not just me. He always calls them," he nodded at the three friends, "to reassure them that he is safe. It's a promise that he makes to them. They have not heard from him either."

"Is this true?" Heero asked, receiving three nods in return. His brow furrowed as he turned to look at Wufei, "Duo doesn't break promises. If he hasn't called, it's because he is unable to." The Chinese looked perplexed for a moment before nodding his head in agreement. Seeing the acceptance, Heero turned to Trowa, "May I have a private word with you?"

With a nod, Trowa left his seat and headed for the back of the cabin, where the galley was located. He began pouring several drinks, in hopes that the task would keep him from being worried about his missing lover, at least for a few minutes.

Heero leaned against a wall, arms and feet crossed, seemingly casual, but Trowa could see the rigid muscles. "Were you aware that I pursued Duo during the war?" the Japanese asked without prompting.

Trowa gaped at him for a moment, then shook his head. "I didn't know. What happened?"

"Nothing happened. He had no interest in me that way, and asked that I stop making advances toward him, afraid that it would ruin our friendship. I acquiesced, realizing that he was straight and not inclined to release stress the way I wanted. Just before the end of the war, I asked him one last time if he was interested, and he turned me down again. I went to Relena, understanding that I would never have a chance with him." Trowa looked up when Heero stopped speaking, wondering where this conversation was going. "You have feelings for him, Trowa. I don't wish to see you hurt. It's been years since we have seen each other, but I hope we are friends still. Don't hope for a relationship with him, or you will end up hurt like you did with Quatre."

Trowa turned away, starting a pot of coffee, figuring that he was going to need it during the long hours ahead. After a moment of getting his thoughts together, he finally spoke. "Did you ask him if he was straight, Heero? Or did you just assume it because he didn't want to sleep with you?"

Heero appeared to be taken aback by the question, then frowned in memory. "I guess I just assumed because he wasn't interested in getting pleasure from me. I don't recall him ever admitting he was straight."

"Did you ever think it was possible that he didn't want to sleep with you because he was a virgin?"

For the first time ever, Trowa got to watch as Heero goggled at him in shock. "How would that even be possible?"

Trowa's anger flared, "Why wouldn't it be possible? Because he was from L2 you just assumed that he would be a whore?"

The Japanese man held his hands up in a placating manner, "Nothing like that, Trowa. It's just that Duo was always so…sensual that it seems hard to believe."

"Sorry. It's been a rough few days," Trowa muttered apologetically. "Do you still have feelings for him?"

Heero shook his head slowly, "I'm content with where I am and who I'm with. I don't harbor any desires for Duo." Cobalt eyes narrowed on him suddenly, "What do you mean `was a virgin'?"

Mentally, Trowa chastised himself for such a slip, and the hope that Heero wouldn't pick up on it. Outwardly, he shrugged, his voice calm, "He's not anymore."

Putting drinks on a tray, Trowa was uncomfortable with the scrutiny he was receiving from the piercing eyes upon him. Just when he was about to admit what had happened, Heero smiled, a genuine honest smile that went all the way into his eyes. "Do you plan to stay with him?"

"If he'll have me. The decision is in his hands, once we locate him," he stated, bringing the current circumstances back to mind. "I asked him to wait until I could go with him to Miami, but he refused to believe he was in any trouble that he couldn't handle on his own," he finally admitted, revealing his frustration. "I had a bad feeling about him going alone."

"Duo has always been stubborn when it came to his own welfare," Heero snorted with a smile, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"He has to learn that it isn't about himself anymore," Trowa stated firmly. "He has a lot of people counting on him, depending on him. If anything happens to them, who will watch out for all of his employees?" He didn't add that he, personally, would be devastated if Duo was forever lost, then shoved the thought aside.

"What do you mean?"

Tilting his head to the others, Trowa smiled slightly at the other man, "Let's give out these drinks and I'll get the others to explain what Duo has been doing for the last few years, other than building businesses and making obscene amounts of money to give away."

Once the refreshments were served, Trowa asked the three friends to explain the Americans exploits. David began with a very proud smile, "Duo has been responsible for the relocating of three-hundred and fifty seven people from the colonies." The disheveled man went into a brief description of what Duo had done to bring the people to Earth, and what was required when they arrived.

Trowa frowned at the number, interrupting David, "I thought Duo said he employed around two-hundred people from the colonies?"

"That is how many he employs, but if they had families, he brought them as well," Alexi explained, his voice as proud as David's had been moments earlier. "There are a number of couples that have children, and several single parents with children. Duo would never ask them to leave their families behind, knowing how important that connection is."

Trowa settled back in his seat, sipping coffee and thinking of his lover. Tuning out the conversation going on around him, he wondered where Duo was at this very minute, hoping he was well and unharmed. In desperation he sent thoughts out to him. `Duo, please be okay. I need you. I'm on my way.'


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. If you do, I'll sic my kids on you.

Warnings: Yaoi, lime, adult language, adult situations

Authors Note: If you have previously read this on MediaMiner, you will notice that certain parts are missing. As much as I hated to do it, I had to take a few things out in order to comply with FF.N regulations. Let me know if you like it, hate it, or are just plain indifferent. Please tell me something!

On with the fic!

Over two hours after lift-off, Trowa was growing concerned about Alexi. With almost three more hours travel time, the Russian man's fear of flying combined with concern for Duo had compounded to make him a nervous wreck. Car sat beside him, one large hand held in both of hers in a supporting grip, her face becoming more strained with fatigue. With a sigh, she turned green eyes to Trowa, silently asking for some form of aid.

He went to the sweating Russian, silently admiring the tenacity of the man. That he would take a cross-country flight to assist in the search for a friend, even though he was terrified, was an impressive feat. Crouching down to meet the wide blue eyes, he smiled a little, "How are you holding up, Alexi?"

"Sorry, Trowa. I usually take shorter flights, so they don't bother me this much," the Russian gasped, face pale.

"You didn't have to come," Trowa stated, patting the man's knee with affection.

Alexi frowned, pulling himself up straighter in his seat, "Duo needs us. I had to come. I'm good with people," he met Trowa's eyes unwavering, his loyalty for his friend firming his resolve. "I know a few of the people that Duo has hired. They won't talk to you because they don't know you. They will talk to me."

Trowa nodded, standing up to his full height again. He noticed that while Alexi was still pale, he appeared to be stronger than he had been a few minutes previous. "I suggest that everyone get some sleep. When we get to Miami, we're going to hit the ground running."

Returning to his seat, he could see the two Asians talking softly, their heads bent together. Heero had an angry look on his face, while Wufei just seemed smug. The Japanese man looked to Trowa, rolling his eyes dramatically at Wufei's temperament. With a level look at the Chinese, he stated in a low voice, "Quit being an ass, Chang. He's our friend, even if we don't deserve it."

Wufei's face turned a bright angry red. His voice was loud enough to hear from where Trowa sat, several seats away, "I don't believe any of this for a moment. To hear that Maxwell, of all people, is intelligent enough to own several businesses would be difficult to believe, but the idea that he is a multi-millionaire is ludicrous."

"Instead of arguing about this, why don't you contact Commander Une? She can verify any information, and you can trust what she says. I need to speak with her myself, but I can wait until you see we are telling the truth. Once you learn that this is real, I expect an apology to those three," he tilted his head in the direction of the three friends, unaware of the conversation. "And once we find Duo, you will apologize to him for being such an insufferable jerk. He thinks of you as a friend, though at this point, I honestly have no idea why."

"Very well," Wufei replied with a sneer, obviously believing that he was about to prove everyone wrong about their high opinions of the American. He quickly moved to the vid-phone, dialing the private number that put him directly in contact with the highest ranking person in the Preventers organization.

Seeing the disgruntled Chinese, Une raised an eyebrow at him, "And to what do I owe this honor, Chang? I am a busy person, so make it short."

"As you wish, Commander. What can you tell me about Maxwell?"

"Be more specific, please. Do you wish to know about the man, or the Foundation?" The perturbed expression on her face let her subordinate know that she wasn't pleased by the interruption to her schedule.

Wufei's face showed surprise for a fraction of a second before he recovered, "The man, if you don't mind."

A long suffering sigh came through the speakers clearly, "Very well. Duo Maxwell owns the Maxwell Foundation. Through that and several smaller companies, he owns a number of businesses. The profit of those businesses is quite impressive. He could be the wealthiest man in the universe within the next ten years, if he didn't give almost all his money away. Is that enough to fulfill your curiosity?"

The Chinese nodded slowly, his face suddenly pale with the information that he had received. "I believe that Barton wished to speak with you," he added slowly, then shuffled back to his seat.

When he took his place in front of the screen, he could read the concern written on her features. "I didn't think we would be speaking again this soon, Trowa. What has happened?"

Trowa could see two dark heads jerk in his direction when the Commander used his first name, but ignored them for the time being, preferring to address more important matters.

"Duo is missing. Can I rely on your help if it is necessary?"

"You have Chang. Are any other Preventer agents with you?"

"Yuy is here as well. Quatre told them that I was in trouble after I requested the use of a plane," he snorted, still angry about the action that the Arabian had taken.

"They are at your disposal for as long as you need. They are two of the best agents I have now," she smirked at the reminder of his resignation. "If you need anything else, all you have to do is call. The number has been programmed into your phone. How long has Duo been missing?"

"Not sure, but he hasn't been in contact for almost four days," his stomach was rolling again, the stress eating at him. "He would have called me if he was able. I'm worried," that short statement told Une more than anything else he could have said; he could see the concern in her face at the two small words.

"I'll begin making some calls from here. If there is anything to learn from the local authorities, I'll find it. That will keep you from having to deal with them. If nothing else, I can smooth the way. I can also talk to the private investigator that Duo uses," when he showed his surprise, she smiled evilly. "She's a very good friend of mine, Trowa. You'll be surprised. Is there anyone else I should call for you?"

Remembering the meeting that Duo was supposed to have with the colony leaders, he flinched, swallowing his pride, he asked for yet another favor. "We were supposed to have a meeting with some of the L3 colony reps tomorrow, regarding the…ummm…ability to trade," he frowned, not sure how to put it in any other terms.

"Wouldn't it be easier to meet with all the colony leaders at the same time?" she queried.

"I'm sure it would, but we don't have that kind of pull with them, though it would save time," he briefly wondered if he would get the chance to meet with them. If something happened to Duo, the entire discussion was pointless.

"I'll arrange it for you. When you find Duo, tell him he will have a meeting in two weeks, and to be prepared to speak to all the leaders of the colonies at the same time." She paused for a moment, making sure that she had his full attention. "You will find him, Trowa. I have faith in you and your abilities. Besides, the world needs more people like Duo. I'll contact you when I have some information for you. Une out."

Trowa stood for a moment, staring at the blank screen, fighting tears. To learn that the Commander believed in what and who they were fighting for was almost more than his strained emotions could take. Eventually, he went back to his seat, his entire body weary. He hadn't slept well since Duo had left, and when he tried, his sleep was interrupted by nightmares of his lover being harmed.

"How long has it been since you ate?"

He raised his head to see Heero standing above him, concern etched in his features. "I don't know. I haven't had an appetite the last few days," he admitted.

"I'll find you something to eat. You need to keep your strength up," Heero started to move away, then stopped, turning to meet his eyes again. "We will find him, Trowa. I promise you that. I won't stop until we find him."

With the Japanese gone, Trowa let his head fall back to the seat, closing his eyes, calling to mind the time he had spent with Duo. He could vividly recall the shining violet eyes, the tender smile, the soft velvety skin, the smell of cinnamon on silky hair…

"I apologize for my behavior earlier. I haven't been a very good friend, to you or to Maxwell."

Opening his eyes with a soft sigh, he found Wufei staring at the floor, pale cheeks strained with an inner pain. "Apology accepted, Wufei. I know that it's difficult to see past the mask that Duo wears. I guess I was always able to see through it, perhaps because I was looking closer." He laid a hand on the other man's tense shoulder, in order to let Wufei know he was being sincere. "I am not the one you need to apologize to," he added.

Wufei nodded and rose in order to make his way to the back of the plane, where the three friends greeted him cautiously. By the time Heero returned with a plate of food, Car and Wufei had moved away from the two men, talking quietly. Trowa sniggered when the Chinese was suddenly wrapped in a crushing hug, his face turning bright red in his embarrassment. To Trowa's surprise, the two promptly sat down, speaking softly, Wufei's eyes resting on the animated woman's face.

Trowa was eating mechanically, knowing he required the fuel for energy. He was startled when Heero began to chuckle, not realizing that he man was still so close. The former pilot of Wing Gundam had taken the seat next to him and was watching the interaction between Car and Wufei. "Did you know that Wufei and Sally are no longer seeing each other?"

"Why not? They seemed to fit so well together," Trowa mused out loud.

"He's never said," Heero shrugged, then pinned his gaze on Trowa, "We didn't know that you were having difficulties with Quatre."

"To be completely honest with you, I didn't know we were having problems, either. I found out a few days ago that Quatre arranged for me to be in cities while Duo was there. He was trying to get rid of me for three years, Heero." The cobalt eyes were filled with sympathy, and he shook his head, dispelling the anger that tried to rear up again. "All he had to do was tell me that he was unhappy, and I would have left. Instead, he lied to me, cheated on me, and controlled my career. If he had said something, we might still be able to be friends, at least. Now, I don't know if I can ever forgive him for deceiving me the way he did."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"We haven't exactly been close since the wars, Heero. I didn't want to intrude," he now understood how Duo had felt at the end of the wars, with everyone else paired up and him alone. He silently vowed that Duo would never experience that emotion again. "It's all for the best anyways. I'll forgive Quatre eventually, as long as he stops treating me like an errant child that doesn't know how to take care of himself."

"When did that start? I never really realized it until you said something when we boarded, but he does treat you that way."

Thinking about it for a few moments, he eventually shrugged, "When I moved in with Quatre, everything was so different than what I was used to. He taught me the rules and etiquette that go hand in hand with having wealth and an influential family. It was then, I suppose. I guess he lost all respect for me, and started treating me more like a possession than a companion. I wasn't allowed to interfere with anything regarding the business, or even trusted to choose food or drink for us if we were going to have company." He mulled it over for a while, comprehending that he had resented the way Quatre had treated him for years, but had never said anything about it, fearing rejection. "At the time, it felt wrong, but I didn't know how to express how I felt. When I tried to bring it up, he would wave away any arguments I had, telling me it was for my own good."

Heero watched him with a raised eyebrow, his eyes wide. "And is it different with Duo?" he prompted.

Trowa felt a smile spread across his face, thinking of his lover again. He nodded, "He talks to me, Heero, asks my opinion. We have a lot of things in common, and that could be one reason Quatre and I could never see eye to eye. Our pasts were just too different. Duo…he makes me happy…and he…needs me." He silently pled with Heero to understand what he meant.

He was relieved when the Japanese man smiled at him, "I can see how that would be possible. Duo needs someone to keep him out of trouble. You care for him a lot, don't you?"

"I love him," Trowa froze, eyes wide. That was the first time he had said the words out loud to anyone, even himself.

Heero laughed at his expression, clapping him on the back. "I guess we need to start making some plans for when we get back on land. I can't wait to see the two of you together," there was pure happiness backed by friendship in the once stoic man's manner. With an understanding that they had been previously missing, they put their heads together and got to work. 


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue, you won't get much if you do, but I might send you one of my kids as punishment!

Warnings: Strange sort of flirting of het couples and some minor grossness toward the end. Nothing major in this section.

Thanks for all the great reviews! Keep letting me know what you think. Thanks all for reading.

On to the next part!

Once they landed, it was agreed that the group needed to split up. Alexi and David went to interview some people that worked for Duo, living in the apartment complex he had built. Wufei and Car would remain at the hangar to search the American's plane, leaving Heero and Trowa to go to the apartment that Duo occupied when he was in this city.

During the drive, the two former Gundam pilots discussed random topics, trying to dispel the anxiety for the missing man. When the conversation turned to Wufei's quick acceptance of Car as a temporary partner, Trowa had to chuckle. "Does he have a thing for redheads, or what?"

Heero smiled in return as they both recalled the Chinese man's reaction to being paired up with the vivacious woman. Wufei had argued briefly, finally relenting with a faint blush, sending Car into a fit of raucous laughter. She had promptly grabbed Wufei by the arm and pulled him to the hangar which housed the American's jet. The four men had watched their departure with varying degrees of amusement, along with several lewd comments from Alexi.

Alexi had given Trowa the address and directions to Duo's apartment, reluctantly sharing the information that, while Duo had an apartment in the building he had provided for his employees, he had not wanted to live there, stating that the American had needed some distance from his workers. No details had been given, and Trowa didn't pursue the matter, feeling that now was not the time.

Heero let out a low whistle when they found the building that the braided man had resided in, looking up at the formidable structure. The building was obviously old, seeming to have survived the test of time with a type of grace, yet was still outlandishly garish. Trowa craned his neck in an attempt to see the top of the building, finally giving up when he realized that he couldn't see past the many gargoyles that adorned the sides of the building.

"It's hard to imagine Duo living in a place like this," Heero mused softly.

Trowa had to agree, "It's the exact opposite of his home in Los Angeles. He had that place designed to blend in and be comfortable. This place was made to stand out and screams of money. I can't see him feeling at home here."

"Maybe the inside isn't as imposing as the outside," the Japanese man offered, his face revealing his doubt.

Passing the doorman, they entered the building with a feeling of distaste, Trowa's brow furrowing when he saw that the inside was just as bad as the outside, if not worse. There were large leather chairs that didn't appear to be comfortable, large potted plants, and tacky pictures lining the walls, leaning toward modern abstracts.

"Can I help you gentlemen?"

They turned to the man sitting at the large desk, who was eying them with an evident sneer. His manner was self-important, obviously believing them to be beneath his notice, but since they were marring the scenery they needed to be dealt with. Trowa and Heero exchanged a look, both knowing that they could take this man down with little effort. The expression on Heero's face said that he would be happy to dispose of the man if he proved to be an obstacle. "We need to get into Duo Maxwell's apartment," Trowa didn't bother with any pleasantries, already knowing that any attempts to be polite would be ignored.

"I can't do that without permission from Mr. Maxwell, unless you happen to be the police, which I seriously doubt," he finished with an evil smirk.

Heero seemed to take unholy glee in producing his badge, sticking it in the face of the sneering man, "Not the police, just Preventers."

They had the privilege of watching the man flounder for several minutes before he regained his wits, and his attitude. "You're too young to be a Preventer. I'm not allowing you access into Mr. Maxwell's apartment. You're nothing but a bunch of hooligans."

Trowa said nothing more to the guard, pulling out his cell phone. He quickly dialed a number and spoke a few words to the person on the line, explaining the problem. The reply made him grin as he flashed a thumbs up at Heero, the Japanese watching him with a raised eyebrow. "We should have some back up in a bit," Trowa shared with Heero as he closed his phone.

Within minutes, a familiar figure strode through the doors, her expression full of purpose as she headed straight for the man at the desk. Heero and Trowa stared at the woman, surprised at the form their help had taken. The security guard was even more startled to see the well-known figure heading for him.

"I suppose you know who I am," the woman stated without preamble.

"Y-yes, Ms. Noin. I know who you are," the man stammered back in reply.

"Then you should also be aware of the arrangement I have with Maxwell," her tone brooked no argument.

By the look on the man's face, he clearly had no idea what she was talking about, but wasn't about to admit that fact. He eventually straightened in his chair and nodded at her, not realizing how telling his expression had been. "Yes, ma'am, I am aware of the arrangement between you and Mr. Maxwell." He emphasized the word arrangement while wiggling his eyebrows, making it sound perverted, not actually aware of the relationship they shared.

"Then you will let me into his apartment, along with these men. They are in the middle of an investigation , and it is imperative that we gain access into his residence immediately."

The man no longer offered any resistance, unlocking a drawer and fishing around until he found the spare key, handing it to the woman that stared at him with impatience. "Bring it back to me when you are finished."

Trowa and Heero didn't speak, falling in step with Noin when she marched to the elevator. When they were well on their way, the black haired woman turned to them with a smile. "Sorry about taking over, guys. Une thought it would be more effective that way instead of trying to explain what was going on. That guy always been a total jerk, anyways."

"Anything that gets us in Duo's apartment is fine with me," Heero stated with a shrug.

Trowa nodded, indicating his agreement. "What are you doing here, Noin? Did you just happen to be in the area?" He doubted this was the case, but needed to know what was going on.

"Actually, I was called here by Duo several days ago." Seeing the confused looks she was receiving, she explained, "I'm his private investigator. He called me to do some checks on several people because he thought one of them might have something to do with the vandalism on his properties."

"Can you give us those names?"

Noin nodded in response to Heero's query. "When we leave here, I'll take you to my hotel room. I have all the files there. You can see everything that I've found. Maybe there is something there that will help us locate Duo."

"When was the last time you spoke to him?" Trowa wondered if he should share the information that he was in a relationship with Duo - at least he thought he was.

She gave Trowa an apologetic look, "Last time I talked to him was Monday morning. He was supposed to meet me later, but he never called or showed up. And I already know that the two of you are together, Une told me."

Heero snickered at the startled look that crossed Trowa's face. "You weren't trying to keep it a secret or anything, were you? If you were, calling your ex and demanding a plane was most likely the wrong thing to do. Quatre's a notorious gossip."

After thinking it over for a second, Trowa shrugged. "It wouldn't upset me if the entire world knew it, but Duo might not feel the same way. We haven't had a lot of time to discuss the future."

The woman grinned at him, her eyes lighting up with mirth, "I don't think he would have a problem with it. I had my suspicions when he called me, since he managed to work your name into every other sentence. Une just confirmed it for me."

With Trowa still grinning broadly at the information, they arrived at the top floor, Noin leading the way, since she had been here before.

She cautiously began to explain the motives behind the American choosing to reside in this ostentatious building instead of somewhere he would have been more comfortable. "When Duo began construction on his businesses and apartment building, several small things occurred that made him doubt his employee's safety. In order to ensure they would be safe, he decided to move in here, even though he had added an apartment for himself in that building. In this place, there is much more security, so that would lessen the possibility that anyone could get to him without him knowing about it. Not only is there the jerk of a guard downstairs, there is also a hidden room where all guests and deliverymen have their pictures logged, and there are several security cameras as well." She pointed to one of the nearly hidden cameras as an example. Trowa had seen quite a few of these in their journey to the upper floor. "Also, all of the keys have to be specifically coded for each apartment, with a microchip that prevents them from being copied. Only the security desk has a spare," Noin continued.

"How long ago was he having problems?" Trowa dismissed all the extra precautions, knowing that any system could be circumvented if someone worked at it long enough.

The woman keyed the apartment open with the card and stepped inside before she answered his question. "Over three years ago." She shook her head, apparently understanding what his next question was going to be, "There wasn't anything definite that we could find. Duo actually made the comment that he was being paranoid, but he would rather be paranoid than have his employees getting hurt."

Trowa reflected that the decision was one that Duo would make, worrying more about his employee's welfare than his own, and wished that his missing love would have shared his concerns when he had learned about the arson. He knew there hadn't been enough time to discuss everything going on in their lives, but it should have come up. Trowa resolved to sit Duo down once they were reunited, and make sure that they had time to share all their hopes and fears, past, present, and future alike.

They began the search of Duo's apartment, Trowa absently noting that the furniture was nothing like what he had seen in Duo's Los Angeles apartment. If he had to guess, he would say that this apartment had come already furnished and had never been changed. It was proof that the braided man didn't spend a lot of time here. Other than the furnishings, there wasn't much in the space, everything neat to the point of obsession, yet again. He assumed that with Duo's personality and busy life that everything had to be kept neat if he had any hopes of ever finding anything.

After several minutes of searching the main living area, Trowa pushed open a door, letting out a cry of despair when he saw what had been concealed behind it. His eyes took in the carnage that lay before him, not noticing when his knees gave out, making him fall heavily to the floor.

He couldn't take his eyes away from the scene, turning away only when he heard Noin's voice in his ear, repeating the same phrase over and over. "It's not Duo. Trowa, it's not Duo, _it's not Duo_!"

He blinked slowly; pulling his eyes away from the blood and gore he could see strewn around the room, his eyes pleading the woman who was shaking him in an attempt to halt the onset of shock. "Are you sure?" Even he could hear the tremor in his voice, but gave it no thought, deeply disturbed by what he had seen. He knew that for as long as he lived, he would never forget the feeling he had experienced when he thought Duo had been killed and was lost to him forever.

"I promise you, Trowa, it is not Duo," Heero's voice was a calming influence, helping Trowa gather his shattered nerves. "If I had to guess, I would say it was a dog, or maybe a cat. Some sort of small animal, at least, but it's rather hard to tell."

Trowa didn't have to ask why it was difficult to tell what species the animal had been before its painful demise. The amount of blood, bone, and tissue spread around the space told of a gruesome death. Not willing to look inside that room again, Trowa turned away, leaning on the wall outside the room to wait for Heero to complete his search of the space, Noin beside him with a supporting hand on his shoulder.

Heero finally came out several minutes later, placing a few items into small plastic bags, labeling them as evidence. When he saw Trowa staring at his actions, he shook his head. "I don't think Duo is dead," he stated bluntly. "More than likely, this was a warning, or someone letting out rage when they didn't find the person they were looking for. I'm gathering the evidence in case we need to prove that this person was trying to harm Duo."

"I don't think there would be any problems proving that," stated Noin, surveying the room once again. "Not only did this person do all this damage, they had to sneak around all the security in this building with the intention to do something once they got into Duo's home."

Mutually agreeing that they weren't going to find anything else, they decided to leave, following the black headed woman back to her hotel. The ride was silent, each man lost in his own thoughts as Heero followed Noin in the car ahead of them. Trowa spent almost the entire time trying to banish the memory of the room they had left behind, his mind easily supplying the vision of Duo being hurt or punished. Not for the first time, he found himself attempting to send his thoughts to his lover, promising that it wouldn't be much longer before they were together again.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimers: Not mine, don't sue. I'll send one of my kids to terrorize you if you do.

Warnings: Some angst, some strangely placed fluff, confused Wufei (I have to torment somebody, it just happens to be him for now!)

Pairings: 3x2 mainly, some random other scattered about

On with the next part!

After reaching Noin's hotel room, Trowa decided to touch base with the other two groups in order to see if any of them had made progress in their own investigations while Heero and Noin began the arduous process of sorting through the many people Duo had requested Noin to investigate. The braided man had given no reasons for his suspicions of these people, but they had to rely on his instincts.

When he dialed Wufei's number, he blinked in surprise when Car answered the phone instead of the man he had been expecting. The woman snickered when he questioned this, stating that she didn't approve of people talking on phones while they were driving. Trowa grinned briefly, before wiping the expression away to turn the conversation to more serious matters. "Were you able to find anything?"

"It would have been hard to find anything that could have given us a hint what happened, and I don't think we would have recognized what anything was even if we had found it. Trowa, the plane was trashed, ultra bad."

"From what I've seen, Duo is a compulsive neat freak," he frowned.

"He is one of the worst I've ever seen. I think it must be cause the way he grew up or something," Car mused. Trowa was able to hear the frown in her voice as she continued, "But when I say trashed, I mean completely and totally trashed. As in, someone was looking for something, and when they didn't find it they got pissed and took a hatchet to the place. Whoever it was even ripped up the cushions out of the chairs. I'm really worried, Trowa."

He decided not to share what they had found in Duo's apartment, at least not until they were all together. He lowered his phone long enough to ask Noin if it would be okay for everyone to meet in her hotel room. She agreed, stating that there was plenty of room for everyone in the suite. Putting the phone back to his ear, he related directions to where they were, asking Car if she and Wufei would pick up some food for everyone.

Trowa had barely disconnected the call before his phone rang. He answered, identifying Alexi's voice. The Russian didn't wait for him to speak, promptly speaking without pause, relating what he and David had learned.

"Someone has been asking questions about Duo. David and I have spoken to several of the employees, and they all say that a man has been searching for him, asking many things about where his home is and who his friends are. Thankfully, Duo never shared any information like that with those in his employ, but it wouldn't be difficult to find out at least some of the information, such as where he resides."

"Damn," Trowa spat, his mind running quickly through several scenarios at once. "Were you able to get a description of this man?"

"We were," Alexi sounded smug. "We can do better than a description, my friend. David managed to sketch a picture based on the descriptions we received. He is quite good, not as good as Duo, but still quite good. The sketch should help us in finding this man."

"We may have a lead," he spoke as he replaced the phone in his pocket. "A man has been asking Duo's employees some personal things. David drew us a sketch of him."

Heero nodded, holding up his hand, in which he held several files, "Good. If we have to locate all of these people, we may not find Duo until it's too late, even with my hacking skills." Heero nodded to where his laptop lay open on the table, using it to gain access to far more files than he could with a regular unit.

Noin moved around the hotel room, gathering some of the papers she had been working on earlier, "These are all the people that Duo asked me to investigate. I only managed to get the bare facts, when Une called, asking me to help you two out."

"We appreciated the help," Heero offered with a slight smirk. "You managed to keep us both out of jail."

At her bewildered look, he shrugged, "If he had stood in our way much longer, I would have removed him from the equation. I wouldn't have killed him, but he probably would have been very hurt by the time I was finished with him. He was keeping us from helping Duo," he stated finally as an explanation.

Trowa understood, probably better than anyone, what Heero would go through in order to help the missing man. The two had been partners during the war, often searching each other out when a mission required help. They had been able to work together as a team, almost flawlessly, each compensating for any weaknesses the other had. Even without staying in touch for several years, Heero obviously still felt the bond that had been formed by blood and death.

They spent the time waiting for the others by scanning the files that Noin had put together. By doing quick computer searches, they were able to discard several of the possibilities upon learning that some of the people had died previously or had never left the colonies. Still others were on Earth, but resided or worked in other countries, and their whereabouts were accounted for. In the end, they were left with five files out of sixteen, a much more manageable number. Trowa was hoping that, with the aid of David's drawing, they would be able to narrow down their search to one individual.

David and Alexi arrived shortly after they had completed their reduction of files, the smaller man handing over his sketch to Trowa with a flourish. Taking it, he gaped openly when Alexi pulled Noin into an embrace, letting him know that they knew one another, and were very close. If his guess was correct, they were a great deal more than just friends. This was verified when Alexi gave him a look, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"I thought you were gay," he blurted, nearly rolling his eyes at himself at the accusation.

The Russian laughed, keeping an arm around the black haired woman, "I love Duo like a brother, and so I may say or do some strange things to protect him from unwanted advances."

Thinking back to the first day they had met, Trowa had to acknowledge that what Alexi had said could have been an attempt to make him jealous just so he would leave Duo alone. When that had not worked, Alexi had been more welcoming, willing to answer any questions he had about the American. He had even gone so far as to keep Duo busy so Trowa could arrange something special for them. "You are a sneaky man, Alexi," he chuckled, shaking his head.

"If he suddenly decides that he is gay, he better find a very deep hole to hide in for a very, very long time," Noin stated seriously. "I will not be dumped for another man twice in my life."

Trowa briefly considered asking what had transpired between her and Zechs, wanting to know how the platinum blond haired man had eventually ended up with his own former lover, but the expression on her face made him hold his tongue. He put it in the back of his mind to possibly bring it up some time in the future, after they had found Duo - willing to let the American shield him from the black headed woman if she was angered by asking.

"I think I found him," Heero's low voice was clearly heard across the entire room, gathering everyone's attention. "He wasn't in the files we had in our stack of possibilities. The file states that he has not left the L2 colony in several years."

Trowa moved to sit beside the Japanese, taking the file that Heero held along with the sketch that David had drawn, noting that the resemblance was easy to see. The man in the sketch was older than the one shown in the file pictures, but it was easy to recognize the man, the features never changing over the years. Trowa raised his head to offer David a smile and a nod. "You did an excellent job. This is the man that has been asking questions about Duo." It wasn't a question, but the small man nodded, answering anyways.

"Now we just have to hope he is the same person that Duo was looking for," Heero added softly, making Trowa frown. The same thought had crossed his mind earlier, but had decided to keep it to himself until they were able to investigate this man further.

Wufei and Car finally arrived, bringing enough food to feed a small army. No one questioned the large quantity as they helped themselves to the variety of dishes, bought from several different restaurants. Trowa didn't have much of an appetite but picked at the food that Heero had put on a plate for him anyway, nibbling while he scanned the rather small file that Heero had assembled.

He was getting ready to set the file to the side when the black haired woman appeared at his side, looking at the sketch over his shoulder. Looking up at her, he found a frown marring her features. "What is it?"

"I know him," she pointed at the picture. Trowa looked back at the sketch, seeing a large, muscular man with stringy hair and small, mean eyes. He waited to see what else Noin would say. "He was an interrogator for Oz. I remember seeing him with some of the prisoners. I tried to stay as far away from him as I could - he gave me the creeps." She reached for the file, looking over it briefly, her frown deepening. "This isn't the name he was going by at the time," she stated, handing the file back to him.

Everyone in the room remained silent as the former Oz lieutenant paced back and forth. She spent several minutes mumbling under her breath, clearly upset when the memory didn't materialize immediately. When she stopped in the middle of the room, everyone held their breath in hope. "Jacob. His name was Jacob Winter, not Seth like it says."

"Is it just an alias, or could this be a family member whose name he stole?"

"Jay-cob, Jakey or Jake," Car said suddenly, startling everyone.

Wufei, sitting beside her, gave her a baffled look, "What are you talking about?"

"That's what we called him on the street," she explained. Trowa didn't say anything when she reached for Wufei's hand, apparently needing some sort of comfort at the memories invoked by the name. "He wasn't a good person, even back then."

"Tell us what you know," encouraged Heero when she fell silent.

Wufei rubbed her back in a soothing manner as she began to speak, her eyes focusing on the distant past. "Before Duo became a member of Solo's gang, Jake considered himself the second in command. Once Solo found this long-haired kid with wild eyes, and magic fingers, Jake became jealous. The new kid learned fast, and he was quick. No one could keep up with him once he got the hang of stealing, and it didn't matter if it was from the street vendors or working a crowd picking pockets." Car sighed deeply, hanging her head down, "He didn't even have a name yet; we just called him Kid." The statement seemed oddly out of place, but Trowa felt his heart clench at the reminder of Duo's painful childhood.

Car took a few minutes to pull herself together, gratefully taking the glass of water that Noin offered her. "After Solo brought in the Kid, we heard Jake rambling while walking the streets, talking about how the Kid took his place. I heard him say that he would make the Kid pay. Eventually, his threats made it back to Solo, who kicked him out of the gang because of them. Jake blamed that on the Kid, even if he didn't have anything to do with Solo's decision. When the plague came through, a lot of people died. Me and Duo were some of the lucky ones, or unlucky ones, depending on how you look at it, that appeared to be immune to the disease. Jake was long gone by then. We hadn't seen him around for several months before everyone got sick. Getting kicked out of the gang probably saved his life."

Trowa digested this new information as much as he was able, recalling what he had read about the plague that had nearly wiped out the poor population of the L2 colony. Only four percent of the destitute population had survived the plague without the benefit of the anti-virus to help them. He knew that Duo had stolen several of the shots for his gang members, but had never taken one himself, an attempt to die along with Solo.

Heero was apparently able to think a little faster than Trowa was, because the Japanese man suddenly spoke, voicing an important question. "Would he hold a grudge for that long? For something as simple as getting kicked out of a group?"

Inhaling slowly, Car leaned back into Wufei, who didn't hesitate to wrap his arms loosely around her. "You don't understand how it was back then. Living on the street was rough, but sometimes it was better than living where you were could be abused or sold for entertainment," the redhead released a shudder, telling everyone what kind of entertainment a helpless child could be used for. "For some of us, it was easier to be alone. Others needed the protection that they could get by being part of a gang. Gangs shared everything, any money or food they managed to steal was split equally with the group."

"So the kids in gangs pretty much depended on the gang to survive?" Heero was still going a tad faster than Trowa was capable of.

"Yeah, pretty much. Some kids didn't need the protection of the gang, but they stayed so they could help the others. Solo was one of those and when he got the hang of it, Duo was, too. They both could have survived easily on their own or together, but they took care of the kids in their gang just like they were a family. Jake, on the other hand, needed someone to keep him out of trouble. He had a mouth that got him in a lot of fights, and he couldn't steal worth a damn, either. If he hadn't had someone to depend on, he probably would have starved or got beaten to death by someone he pissed off."

"So being kicked out of the gang was basically a death sentence for someone that wasn't able to take care of themselves," Trowa mused, glad that his brain had finally decided to get with the program. When Car nodded, he looked first at Heero, then Wufei, "That would be a good reason to hold a grudge for years, but why against Duo instead of Solo?"

"Solo didn't survive the plague," Car was the one that replied, her voice weary and sad. "I guess Jake blamed Duo for being kicked out of the gang, and he probably held it against him that he managed to live when Solo didn't."

The group as a whole fell silent, thinking about the mindset of a man that had pursued revenge for seventeen years for a perceived slight from two children. Several minutes passed before anyone moved, and then it was Heero and Trowa at the same time. As one they converged on Heero's computer, Trowa taking a seat beside the Japanese man, acknowledging Heero's superior talents with the laptop.

It wasn't long before papers began spitting out of Noin's printer, Wufei and Car gathering them as they finished printing. The Chinese would scan a page for any pertinent information before handing it off to the woman. Car would then read the page in depth, ensuring they didn't miss anything in their rush. Once she was done, she would hand off the page to Trowa, who would place it in the growing file while Heero remained at his laptop, his fingers flying over the keyboard, trying to get all information they could on Jacob Winter.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimers: Not mine, don't sue. I'll send one of my kids to terrorize you if you do.

Warnings: Some angst, some strangely placed fluff

Pairings: 3x2 mainly, some random others scattered about

On with the next part!

There was a palpable tension in the hotel room the next morning. Everyone had taken turns going through the sheaf of papers they had gathered about Jacob Winter. While one team was sorting through the man's life, the others had caught a few much needed hours of rest. They had all been running for what felt like days, sleeping rarely and it was beginning to wear on them all.

Tempers were running short all around, several small arguments being started over trivial things, such as what to order for breakfast. Trowa, Heero, and Wufei appeared to be the only ones not affected by the lack of rest, a fact that had been commented several times, in several tones ranging from jeering to admiring.

Wufei, never the most tactful of people, had eventually blown up when someone had tossed an insult, yet again, in their direction; unfortunately, it was Car that had sneered. "Damn it, woman! We don't have time to listen to all the sniveling and whining from everyone. If someone is tired, then they should take it upon themselves to go take a nap. We will inform everyone when we find something we can use."

The redheaded woman slapped him across the cheek, "Maybe you guys are machines, but the rest of us are mere mortals, you big jerk," she yelled before stomping angrily off.

Wufei sat for a long time, his head bowed. Trowa knew from experience he was probably chastising himself. He stood, stretching his stiff muscles, then walked over the Asian, placing a hand on his back. "Everyone is stressed out, Wufei. She'll feel better in a little while. She probably just needed to blow off some steam, and you happen to be the first that set her off."

"Is there any way you could speak to her for me? Let her know that I am really sorry?" The Chinese was looking up at him, pleading for the intervention.

Trowa knew that there was no way he could deny the pitiful look from the normally placid Chinese man. With a heavy sigh, he nodded, realizing that these were the types of situations you were placed in when you had close friends that appeared to be attracted to one another. He had to briefly wonder if he and Duo had been anything close to normal if they would have had issues with each other.

While searching for the irate woman, he decided that he and Duo were meant to be together, not matter when or where they had met. He felt drawn to the beautiful man, and hoped that Duo felt the same way about him.

Hearing soft sobs from the second bedroom, he paused to take a deep breath, then knocked. Receiving no answer, he pushed the door open, instantly seeing Car lying on the bed with her face buried in a pillow to soften the noise. He walked to the bed and picked her up with ease, pulling her into a sitting position and setting her on his lap as he sat down, trying to give her the comfort he thought she needed.

Car's sobbing lessened a bit as she wrapped her arms around his chest, burying her face in his neck. He allowed her a few minutes to wallow in her misery, stroking her hair. He had no idea what he was doing since he had never been close to any females other than Catherine, and it was rare that they were able to see each other. He decided to do what he would do if she were Duo and he needed to be soothed. After several minutes of muttering calming words, Car's sobs tapered off, leaving her hiccupping.

"We aren't machines, you know," he spoke softly into her hair, instinctively knowing that she wouldn't want to look at him yet. "We were just trained for so many years for situations like this. If we have to stay awake for days at a time, we manage because we were trained to do so. It's kind of like falling back into a routine that we are used to. At the same time, we shut down our emotions so we don't end up getting hurt because we are thinking about the wrong thing at the wrong time."

"What do you mean?" he voice was low and raspy from crying.

"When you are going into a fight where you could die, it's better to have your mind focused only on what you are doing. If you pick the wrong moment to worry about something, or somebody else, you get distracted. Being distracted can get you killed. Call it a defense mechanism, if you will. It doesn't mean we don't care."

"I didn't really mean that, Trowa. I'm just very tired and worried about Duo. Having to live with all this stress is something I'm not used to. Maybe I'm just better when I'm on my own, without having to worry about anyone else."

"Car, you are one of the most caring people that I know," he stated honestly. "You may have grown up on the streets, having to look after yourself, but I think seeing other people – other children – suffering has made you want to take care of everyone you care about. I consider like that you worry about Duo, and me, and David, and Alexi. It means that you care about us." He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. "And you worry about Wufei a bit more than the rest of us, I believe, except for Duo."

She gasped at his words, then tucked her head down. "I promised myself that I would never give another guy a chance to hurt me," she whispered, alluding to the heartbreak she had experienced in the past. He said nothing, not knowing what had happened to her that had hurt so badly. "I don't understand why I feel anything for him, Trowa. I barely know the man, but it feels like something pulls me to him."

"Kind of like he's a magnet and the attraction was fated from the beginning of time," Trowa mumbled.

Car raised her head and stared at him for a moment before grinning. "I guess you feel the same way about Duo."

He nodded, "I feel that pull even when we aren't together. I can feel it even now, and that's how I know that he is still alive. I didn't always understand what I felt for him, but I always knew that he somehow made me a better person. I would rather die today with this feeling than live forever without experiencing it."

"Is that your way of telling me to give Wufei a chance?"

"Wouldn't you like to see if he makes you happy? If he could make you feel complete, are you going to give up the chance because of what happened before? You two fit very well together, you know, much like Duo and myself. Two parts of the same whole, two halves of one soul. You complement each other." He met her eyes, making sure she understood the depth of his words. "He has been hurt, as well, Car, and is as scared as you are, even if he won't admit it unless under duress. You hurt his feelings earlier. We cannot help the way we are, just as you can't stop being the person whose personality was formed by what you saw on the streets."

"I didn't really mean what I said, ya know. I'm just frustrated that were not making any progress in finding Duo."

"We are making progress, Car. We will find him soon, I can feel it. In the meantime, we need to try to remember that we are all worried, tired, and stressed out. Duo means a lot to all of us, or we wouldn't be here."

"When you go back in there, can you send Wufei in? I think I need to talk to him about a few things."

Trowa took the dismissal for what it was, pushing her off his lap with a playful shove and standing. He patted her on the head before turning and leaving the room. He found Wufei in the same position he had left him in, sitting in the same chair with his head bowed, his eyes closed. He thought he was asleep until Wufei's head raised, ebony eyes fixing on him. "She wants to speak with you," Trowa gestured to the room he had just vacated.

Wufei nodded and rose from his chair, his demeanor resigned. Trowa had to take pity on him, not wanting to see the man in such a state. "Cheer up, Wufei. She cares for you, and it scares her."

"It terrifies me," the Chinese man stated, moving toward the room where Car waited for him. Trowa gaped only briefly after hearing the confession from a man he didn't think was scared of anything.

He was still reeling from the confession when he fell into a chair beside Heero, who barely acknowledged his presence. The Japanese man was intently looking over what appeared to be a number of videos at one time. "What are you doing?" he finally asked, the many screens giving him a slight headache as he watched. "And how long have you been doing this?"

Heero took the time to pause all the running screens, "About two and a half hours," he admitted after glimpsing at his watch. Rubbing his eyes, he sat back in his chair, gesturing to the laptop. "I found some security footage. I'm running a facial recognition program to see if I can find anything."

"Heero, without knowing a specific area or time that task is an impossible one."

"I found three addresses for Seth Winter in the Miami area. They are at opposite sides of the city, which is very large, so I need to narrow the address down further so we don't waste any more time."

Trowa nearly came out of his seat with excitement. "You managed to find him?"

"I don't know," Heero gave him a stern glare. "I found the addresses, but that doesn't mean anything. He may not even be there, so don't get your hopes up."

"How did you manage to find the addresses, or the security feeds?" taking Heero's advice, Trowa tried to tamp down the burst of adrenaline that flowed through him. It was possible that this was a wild goose chase, leading them to nothing but frustration at the end of it.

"Hacked them," was Heero's short reply. "The home titles were buried in a ton of paperwork and red tape, making me consider the possibility that someone was trying to hide the connection."

Trowa nodded, understanding that if it looked suspicious then it probably was. People often bought a residence or property under different names or through a shell corporation in order to hide things, but usually it was because the people in question were doing something either highly illegal, or extremely immoral. Duo was an exception to the rule, as he was using the Maxwell Foundation to hide his identity for the good of the people he helped through it.

He watched Heero closely for a few minutes, noticing the faint lines of strain that tightened the corners of his mouth and eyes. "What's wrong, Heero?" When the man in question blinked at him, he explained his query in a bit more detail. "There is something you are not telling me. You look like you are more apprehensive."

"I feel like we are running out of time," Heero said softly, making sure his words didn't carry to the other people in the room. "I didn't want to worry you, but it feels like if we don't find Duo soon, something bad is going to happen."

For the first time that day, Trowa focused on his own growing apprehension. He had felt it when he woke, but had forcefully pushed it from his mind, with the hope that he was just allowing the stress of the last week to get to him. Now, after hearing Heero's thoughts, he let the feeling wash over him, placing his head in his hands for a moment. "I feel it, too. I was hoping it was just my nerves."

Without any further conversation, Heero restarted the video footage and the program. Both men kept their eyes trained to the screen, hoping to see a picture of Jacob Winter so they could pinpoint a rough destination. It wasn't long before Wufei rejoined them, Trowa sharing their concerns. When Wufei admitted to the same feeling that time was running out, they knew that they were almost out of time. For all three of them to be experiencing the sense of urgency was tantamount to a disaster, their instincts honed over several painful fighting experiences.

It was almost four hours, and several sodas and aspirin, later that they had their first breakthrough when Wufei spotted a by now familiar face on one of the screens they were scanning. Heero immediately began to get the name and address of the business where Winter had been spotted, matching it up to one of the home addresses that he had found earlier.

"The footage is from the Miami International Merchandise Mart," Heero informed them as Wufei pulled out a satellite map of the city. They studied it for several minutes before finding the location in question. "The home address is listed as being on North Red Road. That puts it in close proximity to the airport, several highways, shopping centers, a hospital, and a couple of lakes. I think he chose this location for the ability to get out in a hurry if he needed to." Heero shrugged at the questioning glances he received, "It's what I would have done in a situation like this, if I knew I might need an escape route in a hurry."

It didn't take long to form a plan, Trowa making sure to call Une and update her on what they had discovered. She sent them information that would be of use, including satellite pictures of the home in question. It was difficult to believe that the neat home could possibly be where his lover was being held as a captive. Une also promised the use of back-up if it became necessary, but agreed that for now it would be best for the three former Gundam pilots to take care of the situation themselves, knowing the severity of the matter.

As soon as darkness fell, the three men left, ignoring the arguments of the people they were leaving behind. It was uncomfortable for all of them, not su re what they were going to find when they reached their destination.

Heero navigated the streets with care, being sure not to attract any undue attention. If the local authorities were to pull them over, they would not be greeted with any enthusiasm, seeing as how they were all heavily armed, and carried a bag full of suspicious equipment that they might have need of. Heero and Wufei would eventually be released from custody once they proved their position as active Preventer agents. Trowa, however, would be held for a long time due to his civilian status. This was time that they were not willing to waste, the feeling of needing to hurry growing exponentially in the last few hours.

No words were wasted when Heero parked the car several blocks away from their destination, the decision having been made earlier to do so. Not wanting to announce their presence to the man they knew to be Jacob Winters, they crept across lawns and used the surrounding houses to mask their approach. Finally reaching the home they were looking for, Wufei took a pair of heat vision goggles out of the bag he carried, training it on the two story home before them.

After several tense minutes of waiting, Wufei lowered the goggles to look at his companions. "Two heat sources inside, one downstairs and one in what appears to be an attic. The person on the first floor is moving around a lot, actually appears to be pacing."

When Wufei said nothing else, Trowa had to force himself to ask the next dreaded question. "And the person in the attic?"

He held his breath while waiting for a response, tensing when the Chinese turned away from him, obviously not wanting to meet his eyes. "No visible movement that I could make out."

"There is a heat signature, Trowa," Heero whispered to him. Trowa knew that the other man was trying to reassure him, but the most important words were not to be spoken. He understood that if Duo had already been dead for a short time, he would still have a heat signature, though it would fade eventually. He shook his head, not wanting to dwell on that fact, needing all his wits to get Duo out of captivity, alive or not.

Heero led them to the house as they had planned earlier. The Japanese had been the best at planning a mission in the past and they depended on that experience in their current endeavor. They communicated with hand signals instead of speaking; easily depending on the training they had all went through for years.

Trowa crept to the nearest window, peering inside to see if he could place the man that had kidnapped his lover. It wasn't difficult to find him, as he was pacing back and forth in what seemed to be the living room, his movements agitated and jerky. Trowa frowned when he realized that the man was talking to himself, stopping every few seconds to tilt his head at the ceiling of the room and yelling something at an unseen person. He had to assume that the man was yelling in the direction of where Duo was, giving him hope that his love was still alive.

They had discussed their options earlier, trying to decide the best way to get Duo out of the clutches of a madman. The first plan had to been getting Duo out without letting his kidnapper know that they were even in the house, letting the local Preventers pick up the man afterward. Now, it was apparent that they were going to have to go with the second option of taking the man down before searching the building. There were no doubts that the American was in this house, especially after seeing some of the items that Winter had acquired in his shopping expedition, which included strong rope, plastic restraints, and an alarmingly large number and variety of knives.

Giving Heero a nod, Trowa moved away from the window, holding the hope of finding Duo alive and well, close to his heart. The three men quietly made their way around to the back of the house, Heero picking the lock on the back door in a couple of minutes. The room they ended up in appeared to be the kitchen, which looked – and smelled – like it hadn't been touched by a cleaning product in years.

Reaching into the bag he had, Wufei handed Trowa several throwing knives and a set of lock picks. When Trowa raised an eyebrow in question, Heero got his attention, "We will distract Winter, you go find Duo," he mouthed, then began to unload an alarming number of weapons from the duffel bag, somehow finding places for everything on his person. Wufei nodded his agreement, gesturing to the badge that was placed in plain sight at his belt.

He inclined his head once, letting them know that he would do his part, trusting them to stay safe. He knew that they were putting themselves in danger in order to help their friend get free, none of them doubting that the missing American was located in this house.

He also realized that they would need to be very careful not to get hurt. Jacob Winter had been a member of Oz and was therefore trained in fighting and combat, and he had grown up on the streets so he was sure to have a number of unorthodox fighting tactics, much like Duo possessed.

"Be careful," Trowa mouthed to the other men, promising himself that once this was over he and Duo would make more of an attempt to keep in touch with them. They really were good men and good friends to put themselves in peril this way to make sure that Trowa was able to reunite with Duo. It wasn't often that you could find someone you could trust to watch out for you this way, and it was a relationship that he didn't want any of them to forget.

Pushing any thoughts out of his mind that didn't pertain to his current mission, he moved to the other side of the kitchen, the opposite direction of Heero and Wufei, hoping the stairway he saw there would go up, saving him from having to be involved in the confrontation that the other men were about to experience.

Trowa already knew that Heero and Wufei would give him as long as possible to locate Duo; the possibility that Winter had Duo wired in case something like this would happen affecting all of them. As quietly as he possible, he crept up the stairs, staying to the side closest to the wall to keep any noise down - a trick he had learned from the American during the war.

Reaching the landing, he stopped for a moment to listen and look around. There were no sounds from downstairs, other than the mumbled ranting from the owner of the house. At the far end of the hallway, he could see the pull string that would lead him to the attic and made his way in that direction. On the way, he took a cursory glance in each room he passed, making sure that his missing lover was not in one of them.

He didn't see Duo, but the state of the house was disgusting. The rancid smell that had lingered in the kitchen was also here, permeating every room and assaulting his nose. Eyes watering, he reached up for the rope, tugging on it to release the attic stairs, attempting to catch them before they hit the floor to keep the sound muffled.

The steps didn't make much noise when they came down, but the racket they made when he folded them out reverberated down the hallway. Trowa froze on the spot, clearly hearing the shout of rage from the man on the first floor. Hearing two almost identical battle cries, he wasted no time climbing up the rickety steps, his eyes falling immediately on the figure huddled in the corner, not moving.

"Duo?"

A matted head of hair lifted, tired, bruised violet eyes fixing on Trowa, widening slightly when he saw who was at the stairs. Trowa started to move forward, stopping when he saw Duo shake his head slowly with a wince, "The floor's rigged, Tro. Come too close and we'll be blown to bits."

Stopping any forward motion, Trowa crouched down, taking a good look at the floor. He found it difficult to keep his eyes off the man in the corner and decided it would be better to keep Duo talking to reassure himself that his lover was, in fact, there, alive and okay, only feet away from him. "What the hell happened, Duo?"

"There was a note for me at the fire, one that he knew I would understand, even if it didn't mean anything to anyone else. He spray painted it on the damn wall on the outside of the building, and the cops said it was just graffiti. I called Luce and got her to check up on several people it could be. When I was on the way back to my apartment, he ambushed me from behind. Son of a bitch used a tranq on me that was meant for horses. I was out for an entire day. By the time I came to, I was here."

While Duo spoke, Trowa was studying the devices he could see on the floor. There were several pressure switches that he could identify, causing his heart to race as he went through possibilities. "Why haven't you tried to get away?"

"I tried to, but the drugs that were in my system kept me from getting too far. After that, he tied me up pretty good. He's got me trussed up like a thanksgiving turkey here. Bastard took all the tools out of my braid, too. It was a trick I used when I was young, so he knew about it." Duo fell silent for a few minutes, then shifted slightly, letting out a grunt of pain. "I tried to fight back, but he told me he knew where you were. It wouldn't have been hard for him to hurt you, since you didn't know who to watch out for," Trowa could hear the apology in Duo's voice and waved it off. "How did you find me?"

"Had some help from a few old friends, and some new ones, too. I'll tell you about it when we get out of here." He looked at his lover and smiled. "It's good to see you, Duo. I really missed you. A lot."

The American's face lit up, despite the obvious pain he was in, "Missed you too. Wish we had seen each other under better circumstances, but I'll take what I can get right now. I thought about you a lot, up here. Hope we get a chance to talk when we get out of here."

"I promise you that we have all the time in the world to talk, among other things," Trowa had to smile at the snicker that floated in his direction from the corner. "Is there a delay on these things?" Duo was an expert at explosives, knowing more about them than anyone he knew.

"From the ones I could see, they should have a standard ten second delay. Not enough time to get out of the house. He's got them rigged so that if one goes off, it will set the next off, then the next until the house, and anyone in it, is in pieces."

Trowa was silent for a moment, studying the area that Duo was in, frowning when a small flash of light caught his eyes. "Is that a window behind you?"

He could feel Duo's eyes on him, trying to figure out what he was planning. "Yeah. It's been painted over so no one could see inside."

"How big is it?"

"I'm guessing it used to be a large picture window. It's at least six feet tall, prolly about four feet wide. What are you planning?"

The sound of footsteps coming up the steps got his attention. Trowa pulled out one of his knives, doubting that Winter had been able to get away from the two men, but not wanting to take any chances. "It's me," the low voice drifted up the stairs.

Trowa relaxed as Heero's head appeared in the attic. Cobalt eyes went to the man they had been searching for, then swung back around to Trowa. "Why haven't you got him out of here yet?"

"Floor is rigged with pressure sensitive explosives."

"Heero, what the hell are you doing here?"

The Japanese smirked at the man that had been his partner during one of the most difficult times of his life. "Saving your ass, as usual, Duo."

"At least you don't plan to shoot me this time," was the chuckled reply.

Listening to the exchange, Trowa knew that there was a story there that he would have to ask Duo about sometime, but that would have to come after they had all managed to get out of this building alive. "I have a plan," he got Heero's attention. "Status on Winter?"

"Subdued and waiting for transport to the local Preventers. Une is coming to do the interrogation herself. She remembers him from Oz," Heero explained with a gleam in his eyes. "What's your idea?"

Lowering his voice so it wouldn't carry, Trowa explained what he hoped to do. When he finished, Heero looked at him and shook his head, "And everyone said that I was the one that did all the stupid stunts," was all he said about the idea. "Give me fifteen minutes to get everything ready. We need to gather some of the evidence downstairs before we get out. Wufei has already called the paramedics and authorities and they are on the way. I'm glad he requested two ambulances," he noted, his eyes flashing on Duo's form with a frown.

The Japanese went down the stairs, leaving Trowa alone with Duo again. Checking his watch for the time, the tall man settled on the floor, his eyes training on the man he had missed so terribly in the past week. "I really did miss you, Duo."

"Trowa, I'm so sorry I didn't wait for you to come with me. If I had, none of this would have happened."

"Well, I did say that working for you was going to be more exciting than working for the Preventers, didn't I?" he teased, pleased to see a tired smile appear on the bruised face that was watching him. "How badly did he hurt you?"

"Honestly, not that bad. I think my wrist is broken, but other than that, I'm mostly just bruised and banged up. And hungry as hell, in more ways than one," from the look in his eyes, Duo wasn't just referring to food. "What do you expect? I haven't had anything to do here for the last few days other than think about…certain things. It helped to pass the time," he offered with a smile.

Trowa looked at his watch again, rising to his feet when he saw the allotted time had passed. He stretched for several moments, loosening up muscles that hadn't seen much action in a very long time. His lover's eyes were pinning him with an intense stare, already realizing that Trowa was not going to share his plan. Crouching down again, Trowa placed his body in a sprinting position, knowing the moment that Duo understood his idea by the widened eyes and tightening of the lean muscles. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Duo replied calmly. "Just make sure we don't die, kay? We have too much stuff to do later."

"Mission accepted," Trowa smirked for a second, then threw his body in motion.

As soon as he heard the small click of the first pressure switch, it seemed like the world around him went into slow motion. He crossed the expanse of floor between him and his lover as fast as he could, arms reaching out even as Duo pushed himself as far off the floor as possible while still bound. Feeling the weight of the smaller man against him, Trowa launched his body forward, ducking his head as he pushed through the old panes of glass.

There was a short sensation of flying before gravity set in. Using his acrobatic skills, Trowa flipped them in the air so Duo would land on top of him, hitting the mattresses with a painful thump. He instantly spun them over to shield the braided man from the explosion and falling debris that were sure to rain around them.

Seconds later, he heard the explosion, covering his own head as much as he was able while ensuring that Duo wasn't harmed any further. He could feel the burning remnants falling around and on him, waiting until the worst of it was over before he leaned up and searched Duo's face for any pain. "Are you okay?"

"My wrist is definitely broken," the American winced. Trowa looked between their bodies where Duo's hand was trapped, bent at an awkward angle. "Other than that, I'm okay, but I would really like to get out of these bindings soon."

Starting to scramble up, Trowa stopped when Duo spoke so softly he couldn't understand the words, "What is it, Duo?"

"I haven't got to see you for a while, and then you come out of the blue and save me, in more ways than one. What do you think I want?" Violet eyes narrowed at him, then a small smile was sent in his direction, a plea in the violet eyes. "Touch me, Trowa. Let me know this is real."

Without hesitation, Trowa covered Duo's mouth, claiming the other man's lips in a tender yet thorough kiss. Pulling away, he carefully kept his body away from Duo but stroked the face before him gently. "I'll be there to touch you everyday to remind you that this is real, for the rest of our lives if you let me."

The smile that he received was beatific, "That sounds like the best idea I've heard in a long time."

"If you two are finished with your Kodak moment, can we get Duo to the medics that are waiting for him to grace them with his appearance?" Trowa looked up into the Wufei's smiling face and groaned, slowly getting to his feet.

"I'm not as young as I used to be," he mumbled as he reached down to pick Duo up, all the aches and pains making themselves known from his jump out the window.

"I thought that you were smart enough not to jump out windows, Trowa." Duo teased, curling himself into his lovers chest. "That's always been a Yuy thing."


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimers: Not mine, don't sue. I'll send one of my kids to terrorize you if you do.

Warnings: Some angst, some strangely placed fluff, confused Wufei (I have to torment somebody, it just happens to be him for now!)

Authors Note: I wanted to apologize to any Quatre fans. I didn't plan for him to be mean in this, but apparently he wasn't listening. He redeems himself a bit here, tho! After this there is only one chapter to go. Thanks for the great reviews. Hope everyone enjoys this as much as i enjoyed writing it!

Pairings: 3x2 mainly, some random others scattered about

On with the next part!

Two days later, Trowa sat beside the hospital bed that Duo had been confined to since his rescue. They had spent long hours talking, about everything from their pasts to the future that they both wanted to share with each other. Trowa had only left his lover's side for a matter of minutes, and only when he was forced by the staff to leave.

There had been many visitors that had come to see the American, but one person had been conspicuously absent. Duo had not said anything about it, but Trowa could see the disappointment on the heart shaped face he loved so much when a certain Chinese had not shown up. Thinking he knew the reason that Wufei hadn't visited yet, Trowa made a phone call when he was shoved out of the room by a nurse.

When the phone had been answered, he had wasted no time with pleasantries, "Why haven't you come to see Duo yet?"

There was a short pause before the Chinese spoke. "I have been assisting in the interrogation of Jacob Winter. And…I don't know what to say to him, Trowa. First, I didn't believe that he was in trouble, then I thought that it was just a stunt, then I…"

"Developed feelings for one of his best friends, on top of everything else," Trowa supplied for him, trying not to roll his eyes. It was as he suspected, but that didn't mean it wasn't frustrating to hear. "And if you decide to continue seeing Car are you going to keep hiding the fact from him, or are you just going to hide from him in general?"

"I just don't know what to say about it to him. I don't want to keep anything from him, but after the things I said about him, it would be a miracle if he still wanted to even be my friend." Wufei's tone was defeated and slightly depressed.

"So are you going to come and talk to him, or are you going to make Car lie to one of her oldest friends? They have known each other since they were kids, Wufei. You aren't being fair to either one of them. Stop thinking about yourself, suck it up, and tell him," Trowa was tired of the pity party, and had every intention of stopping it now.

"What if he hates me?"

He couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled out at the thought of his lover hating anyone without a very good reason, let alone the possibility that he could hate a comrade that fought alongside him in some of the worst conditions imaginable. "This is Duo Maxwell we are talking about, right? The guy that had us followed after the war to make sure we were happy, remember? Do you really think that he could ever hate you, or any of us?"

There was a long pause that Trowa allowed, hoping Wufei was thinking carefully about what he had just said. Eventually there was a deep sigh that sounded resigned. "Very well, I will be there in about an hour."

"I'll let Duo know that you are going to be here. He'll be glad to see you, Wufei, no matter what you have to say to him. You are a friend and that means a lot to him," reassured Trowa, knowing that the Chinese man needed to hear the words.

"It means a lot to me as well," Wufei said softly, "perhaps more than I had realized."

Almost an hour later, Trowa was sitting on the edge of Duo's bed holding his hand when the door opened slowly. Wufei hesitantly stuck his head inside, wearing a smile that was obviously forced, making it look like more of a grimace. "Feel up to having some company?"

Trowa stood, leaning over to give Duo a lingering kiss. "I'm going to go get some real food. I'll bring you something, love. Any preferences?"

The braided man grinned widely, wincing when it pulled on his split and chapped lips, still healing from his ordeal. While Duo hadn't been hurt fatally, he had been beaten pretty badly, making the American more sore and stiff than anything else. The worst of his injuries were his broken wrist and the cuts that had been made by the restraints he had wore for almost six days, and the emotional anguish he had suffered while worrying for Trowa. "Anything is better than hospital food, Trowa. I would love to have a milkshake, though," he offered hopefully.

The tall man grinned in response, his visible green eye shining in humor. "I'll see what I can do." With one last quick kiss and a reassuring pat on Wufei's back he left the room, exiting the hospital.

He forced himself to stay away for over an hour, trying to give time for the two men to settle any problems. He was just passing through the waiting area on his way back to Duo's room when he heard a very familiar and very unwanted voice behind him, calling his name.

Turning slowly, his eyes fell on his former lover, and one of the last people he wanted to see right now. The blond was at the other side of the room, his blue eyes pleading and a contrite expression on his face. "What do you want, Quatre?" his tone was cold, making the Arabian wince slightly.

"I wanted to apologize to you, Trowa."

"For what exactly did you want to apologize for? Lying to me, cheating on me, going behind my back to rearrange my career, or for treating me like an idiot? I'm all ears, really." Quatre's head fell, and Trowa felt guilty for a moment, pushing it aside when he recalled all of the things that this man had done to him. "If you didn't want to be with me, you should have said something, Quatre. It hurt to learn that you had manipulated my life for so long. When did you lose all respect for me?"

The blonde's head shot up at the last sentence, his face confused. "I never lost respect for you, Trowa. You just …changed. You weren't the person you had been during the war. You were so independent and strong back then."

Trowa stepped forward, obviously angry at the explanation, quickly setting the bag and drink that he carried down so he wouldn't crush them. "You were the one that changed me. Nothing I did was right, or good enough for your expectations. You wanted me to obey the rules of your family, not even letting me choose my own food, stating that I wasn't able to take care of myself. You forced me to be something I didn't want to be, and then got rid of me because I finally gave up trying to be myself."

"Do you think there will ever be another chance for us to be friends?" Quatre asked after a long pause.

Trowa thought about it for several minutes before he nodded slowly. "Possibly. If I know Duo, he will encourage it. I might forgive you in time, but I will never be able to forget how you treated me like a possession instead of a person."

With a sigh, Quatre perched on the edge of a chair, looking closely at the former Heavyarms pilot. "Is he good to you?"

He couldn't stop the smile that formed on his face as he took a seat, thoughts of his lover flitting through his mind. It would be good to get this entire issue out in the open now, hopefully beginning the healing process for both of them. He knew that Duo would be happy with his effort, and that pushed him forward. "He is good to me, and for me. I enjoy being with him more than I can express."

"You still love him."

While it wasn't a question, he nodded, "More now than ever. In the last few days I realized how much he really means to me. I won't lose him, not ever again. It was too close for comfort this time. We found a journal in the house. Winter had planned to kill Duo the night we rescued him. He was going to send me a picture of Duo after he had killed him." The knowledge of that intended act still sent a shiver of horror through him.

"I am happy for you, Trowa. And I am sorrier than I could ever express for the things that I did. Looking back, I can see what I did was wrong, but I placed all the blame on you." Trowa remained silent, agreeing with what the blond said whole-heartedly. "Can I …could I…do you think…can I see Duo for a few minutes? I want to apologize to him for the way I acted about this whole thing."

"I'm sure he would like that," Trowa rose; grabbing the food and drink he had bought while he was out. Duo's milkshake was more than likely melted by now, but it would still be enjoyed.

Knocking before entering the room, Trowa had to smile at the scene that met his eyes. Wufei was sitting on the edge of the bed, much as Trowa had been earlier, and the two men were watching him enter the room with amused expressions. When they realized who was following Trowa, Wufei frowned while Duo sent Trowa a questioning look. "Someone came to see how you were doing," he stated, nodding to let his love know that everything was okay.

"How is everything between the two of you?" Trowa noticed that both men had red eyes, but didn't comment on it.

"We're good," Duo enthused. "Wufei promised to let me be the best man at his wedding."

"I promised no such thing," the Chinese snorted with mock disdain, ebony orbs glittering with pleasure.

"So can Trowa be the best man? I'll be the maid of honor," the suggestion sent Duo into peals of laughter when Wufei turned a bright crimson.

Trowa couldn't stop his amusement at Duo's antics. He pulled the tray over to the side of the bed, setting out the food he had brought for the braided man. "I don't think you have the right equipment to be the maid of honor, love. You might be overqualified for such a position."

"Then what position would you suggest?"

His faced turned bright red at the words, his mind automatically supplying several positions he wanted Duo to be in. Wufei took one look at him and burst out laughing, throwing his head back. Even Quatre was smiling at his embarrassment. With a smirk, he leaned close to Duo's ear, "I'll pay you back for that one once we get home, several times, in many different positions," he whispered for his lover's ears only.

Looking down Duo's body, he could see the reaction his words had and quickly moved the tray to cover the growing lump in the sheets. His movement wasn't missed, though, bringing on a fresh round of humor.

It was over an hour later that Quatre and Wufei took their leave. The four had spent the time joking around and talking over plans for the near future. Wufei was much more relaxed than he had been before, the talk he had had with Duo obviously helping him work through the issues he had. Quatre had made a concentrated attempt to mend the rift he had placed between them all, telling the others that he would try harder to stay in touch.

Duo had worked his way through the two hamburgers, fries, and milkshake Trowa had brought him, and was yawning widely by the time the other men left. The medicine in his IV and recovering from the ordeal conspired to make him more easily tired than before. He argued briefly with Trowa about resting, finally giving in when the taller man agreed to lay down with him.

After several minutes of shifting around to get comfortable, they finally settled with Trowa laying flat on his back, Duo practically draped over him. Inhaling deeply, Trowa closed his eyes and wrapped his arm around the American to hold him as close as possible. He was almost asleep when Duo spoke. "Did you and Quatre work things out?"

"Not completely, but I think he finally understands that the things he did were wrong," Trowa had explained everything to Duo the day before, wanting his lover to know what had occurred between him and his former lover. "It will take time, Duo."

"As long as you spend that time with me, I'm okay with it."

Smiling, Trowa placed a kiss on the top of Duo's head. "I'm not going anywhere, not for a long time."


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimers: Not mine, don't sue. I'll send one of my kids to terrorize you if you do.

AN: This is the abso-last part, mainly because I am one of those people that likes to know what happened afterward. This is for anyone that likes to know these things as well. Thanks to all those that were patient enough to read the whole thing. I love hearing how people felt about my story. If you loved it and/or hated it, let me know!

On with the ending!

Trowa rolled over, blindly groping the sheets beside him without opening his eyes. Realizing that he was alone, he slowly cracked one eye, then the other. Instead of being faced with his long-haired lover as he was used to, he found a folded piece of paper on the pillow beside him.

Snatching the paper, he rolled up in one graceful move. Reading the short note that had been left for him, he grinned, rising from the bed, now fully awake. He glanced at the clock before leaving the room, noting that it was still early. They had several hours before having to leave for the spaceport. He had plans to occupy those hours, and from the note, it would seem that Duo did as well.

He didn't pause at the threshold of the room where his love waited, now used at least two or three times a week, walking in and taking a long look at the lean man relaxing in the water. "You aren't getting that wet, are you?" he asked, directing a glance to the cast that still encased Duo's wrist.

He was rewarded with a lazy smile, "Nah. Can't wait until I get the damn thing off, though," Duo replied, barely sparing his wrist a glimpse, more focused on watching Trowa remove the pajama pants he had slept in. "Find my note?"

It was Trowa's turn to grin, "Is there any doubt?"

Violet eyes slowly caressed his body, eventually returning to Trowa's face, the lazy smile morphing into a lecherous smirk, "Not a doubt in my mind."

Hissing slightly at the heat of the water, Trowa settled himself behind Duo, nudging him away from the wall with his legs. Duo put his legs up, resting his cast on one knee, while the taller man began to leisurely run a sponge over the skin of his back.

Trowa put the sponge down, reaching for the end of Duo's braid. "May I?" The American didn't respond verbally, just leaned back against Trowa's chest and nodded, a soft smile on his face.

Slowly working the hair free of it's confines, Trowa worked his hands through the long tresses. Duo teased him often about the obsession with his hair, but never complained when nimble fingers threaded their way through it.

Guiding Duo to lean back, Trowa used cupped handfuls of water to wet the thick mane, taking his time. It had been several days since they were able to take their time with anything, the last few weeks had been anything but relaxing. Now, he was determined to make up for the time they had lost. Even though they had been together, there had been a hurried feeling to their lovemaking, making him yearn for the relaxed exploring they had done in their first few days.

His lover didn't appear to have any objections to this, almost purring his pleasure as Trowa first soaped, then conditioned his hair. After rinsing the tresses, Trowa draped them over his own shoulder in order to keep them out of the soapy water. Realizing that this left Duo's neck nearly bare of restrictions, he attacked the smooth column with tongue and teeth, eliciting a gasp and a throaty moan from his victim.

His hands weren't idle as he nibbled and sucked on Duo's neck and shoulders, roaming first the American's back before moving around his body to tease his chest. He raised his eyes in time to catch Duo's arm, hovering dangerously close to the water. "You can't get your cast wet, love," he admonished softly, smiling when a shiver passed to him from Duo.

"I can't think about the thing when you start doing that," his lover huffed, pouting a little. When Trowa began nipping at an earlobe, Duo's eyes rolled back in his head before closing on a groan.

"Why don't we get out of here and go to somewhere we can be a little more comfortable," he suggested.

The words were barely out of his mouth when Duo stood quickly, giving him a wink as he stepped out of the hot tub. His expression was dismayed as he eyed the length of wet hair covering half his body. "Would you take care of this for me first?" he queried, with a hopeful look.

Out of the water, Trowa dried himself with a fluffy towel, then did the same for Duo, making his touches and caresses long and lingering. By the time he draped another towel around his lover's shoulders, Duo was nearly glassy eyed with pleasure. Stepping forward and leaning down, Trowa ran his tongue up Duo's throat, lapping up a stray droplet of water that was running down the smooth column. "Of course I'll take care of that for you," he replied softly, his tone telling Duo that he planned to take care of several things, in time.

Hearing the intentions in Trowa's voice, Duo moaned, "You're gonna tease me to death, aren't ya, Tro?"

"No, but I do plan to take my time."

Taking Duo's hand, he led him back to the bedroom, directing him to the side of the bed. Reassured that his lover wouldn't move, he quickly fetched the brush and settled himself behind Duo again. He released a groan of his own when the smaller man shifted, deliberately rubbing against Trowa. "Your hair is not going to get brushed if you keep doing that, Duo."

He couldn't see his expression, but he was able to hear Duo's snicker clearly. With every intention of completing Duo's hair, Trowa pushed the urge to pull his lover to the bed out of his mind, at least for the next little while.

He took his time, spending almost an hour pulling the brush through the long hair, enjoying the sensation of it sliding in his fingers. Every time he finished a stroke with the brush, he touched Duo with his mouth or hands, soft touches that were slowly driving the smaller man insane. The shifting of Duo's body, combined with the soft sighs and moans were having the same affect on Trowa, his body very aware of the naked body in front of him.

Deciding that they had both waited long enough, he dropped the brush to the floor. As soon as it hit the floor, Duo turned to him with a low growl, using his good hand to push Trowa to the bed. Trowa could only watch as his lover climbed up his body, aligning their bodies and rubbing their erections together. "I can't wait any longer," the long haired man gasped out, panting from pleasure from the friction he was causing.

Trowa had to agree, groaning as he watched his lover throw his head back, long hair trailing over Trowa's legs, sending shivers of pleasure up his spine. He didn't tease Duo any longer, well past the point of torturing his lover. His mind was falling into the primal mindset that he often experienced when he was with Duo like this. Every rational thought fled as they moved together, eventually succumbing to the pleasure that was swamping them.

They collapsed to the bed, attempting to be careful of Duo's wrist and the amount of hair that was tangled around them both. It was several minutes later when Trowa worked up the energy to speak. "That was amazing."

Duo smiled, brushing his fingers over the other man's cheek, "Every time, it just gets better. We're gonna kill each other with pleasure one of these days."

Chuckling, Trowa rolled over, placing his body half on top of Duo's and kissing him soundly, "Can you think of a better way to go?"

Pulling him down for another languid kiss, the American smirked, his eyes happy and sated for now, "I sure can't."


End file.
